Star Wars: The Old Republic: A New Sith
by dominicgrim
Summary: In the days of the old republic, from a humble farm world, a new sith rises, eager to shake the empire to its core. OC characters set within the old republic world, some in game characters may make cameos. I do not own star wars I simply play in their world. Rated Teen for violence and language.
1. Prologue

_A/N: Hello again everyone! I've had this story in my head for a while now, it has gone through some changes over the years, but I think it is time to get it out of my head, and into some of yours. This one is set in the Star Wars: The Old Republic universe, and takes place about five years before the first game begins. I, of course, do not own Star Wars of course; I simply chose to play in their sand box. This little sith has been in my head for a while now, just waiting to get out, I hope you enjoy her rise to power._

 **STAR WARS: The Old Republic: A NEW SITH**

 _ **Turmoil! Five years have passed since the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant. The Galaxy exists in a tense state of peace. Awaiting the coming of the next great war. Inside the Sith Empire, the dark lords battle of supremacy, gathering strength for the next war.**_

 _ **Darth Daverus, Lord of the Sith, and master of Itae system, has fallen. Now his rival, the cunning Darth Feer seeks to seize his fallen rival's holdings, expanding his powerbase, and his place within the empire.**_

 _ **Seeking to crush all resistance. The Dark Lord dispatches enforcers to reign in any possible threat to their master's power. On the planet Oridanna, a farm world within Daverus' former holdings, one such enforcer has come, eager to bring his master's will to its humble people. Never realizing that darkness can spring from anywhere…and revenge is never far from one who follows the will of the darkside…**_

The Sith warship emerged from hyperspace, its slate gray hull casting a shadow upon the world below, like some great predator, it floated above the surface. For many long years, the people of Oridanna had bowed to the strength of Lord Daverus, offering not only what they grew in the fields, but the lives of their children to fill the needs of the empire.

As the battleship achieved high orbit a single shuttle dropped from its launch bay, beginning its long descent to the surface. Two Sith Starfighters offering escort as the landing craft made its way towards the largest of the planet's small settlements.

It had been a long time since a Sith had walked Oridanna's surface. Daverus had always preferred a hands off approach to his holdings, as long as his servants met their quotas and paid tribute to the empire, their lord and master had always preferred to leave them alone, but now…that was about to change.

A new lord ruled here now.

And the time had come to let these farmers know it. They would accept their master's rule, or be crushed beneath his heel.

Such was the way of the Sith.

IOI

Keera Lylos wiped the sweat from her brow, the sun had only been up for a half hour and already she felt soiled, the hot morning wind whipped at her black hair, blowing her ponytail like some ancient battle flag from the days before the empire. She waited, pausing while the latest codes she had entered took effect. She checked the final reading on the collection tower, her sixth this morning. She watched as the readings on the collector rose, making sure everything was in the green before she made the long climb down.

 _So much fuss_ , the fifteen year old thought to herself, _so much trouble for something so easily gathered from anywhere on the planet. It was the height of the spore season now, and every collector had to be running smoothly, lest their numbers be off this months._

It was tedious work, true, tedious and time consuming, every three days before dawn she would groan, crawl out of bed, ready her swoop bike, and make her circuit. She visited tower after tower, making sure everything was functioning within the accepted limits. It was tedious work, tedious and dull, especially for a girl like Keera, a girl who felt that a droid could likely do this just as well as she could. Of course, that did not mean that she would shirk her duty, oh no.

She smiled slightly.

It would not do for the overseer's own family to miss quota this month, and as long as she was around they wouldn't.

The spores they farmed were a necessary export. By themselves, they did not matter much, but mixed with kolto or spice, the spores farmed here on Oridanna went a long way to enhancing the effect of both materials, and that was just **two** uses of the stuff.

It made what they did here, valuable to the empire. Valuable enough that Keera's father had been named overseer, trusted with keeping everything running smoothly.

It was for that reason that Keera did her job so diligently.

Father has enough to worry about, she thought, he does not need to worry about that too.

She waited until the collector finished its cycle. Everything showed that it was functioning within acceptable levels. Of course, it always did when she worked on the towers. She always seemed to know exactly the right setting to get the maximum yield from these machines. Once everything was set, she began the long climb down, and what a climb it was.

Rising almost forty feet in the air, the towers stood sentinel over the great plains, the yellow grass moving like a great sea, being driven by the wind. Combined with Oridanna's violet sky, there were few sights to match its splendor anywhere in the galaxy, or so the old timers back in the village use to say.

 _A beautiful sight, sure_ , the girl knew, but not something that she wanted to spend her time gawking at right now. She had skipped breakfast this morning, so eager was she to get this dull chore done.

Food would be nice, a nap would be better, not that the latter was likely to happen though. Harvest time was never nap time.

She began the long climb down, an easier feat now that the sun was finally up. The first few towers this morning had been a bit of adventure, it was not an easy task, climbing in the dark, but Keera had always managed it. She had been helping with this since she had turned thirteen, and by now, she was an expert at it.

Of course, it was not all skill either. Keera had…a gift…

It was this… _this gift_ that gave her an edge over other people.

It served her well during this particular chore.

When it came to climbing up and down the towers, she had almost a sixth sense. When she was up high, alone and at peace, she would close her eyes and for **that** moment thought that she could almost _feel_ the tower. Its weak spots revealed themselves to her, loose bolts, broken rungs, imperfection in the metal, she could see everything in her mind's eye. That sight allowed her to forget some of the tedium for a moment and have a bit of fun. When she was in a hurry she would often forget the safety ladder and free climb down the tower's inner structure. A risky action, true, and one that her mother would have had a fit if she knew her daughter was doing it…still Keera never felt afraid or nervous during those climbs.

Her gift was always there…

…and it had never failed her.

She was free climbing now, she moved away from the ladder, flipping and swinging from metal beams like some acrobat at one of their harvest festivals, she slipped deeper into her gift now, letting it guide her letting it carry her away, and as she moved she grew more and more confident.

Finally, when she was about fifteen feet from the ground she used her momentum to swing out…beyond the tower and into the open air. For the briefest of moments, it felt like she was flying, her body held aloft by her will alone, that, and the gift that she carried inside her.

A giddy giggle escaped her throat as she turned her flight into a back flip, twisting in the air she willed herself to slow down, an impossible feat sure, but somehow…the girl did it, time seemed to stop.

And then…she gently touched down feeling breathless, excitement coursing through her, and the simple joy of being alive.

"Impressive."

She jumped, the lightness, the power, she had felt vanishing, pushed back by her surprise. She gasped and spun around.

There, stood one of the local boys from the village, the son of their peacekeeper.

Roan Wilkes smiled.

" **Most** impressive," he said warmly.

Keera felt a blush coloring her cheeks.

She had not heard Ro approach.

A wave of self-consciousness washed over her.

"What are you doing here," she demanded.

" **Spying** on me?"

The older boy gave her a sly grin.

"Would I do something like that?" he asked.

The girl rolled her eyes.

Typical Ro, she thought to herself.

Wilkes was a few years older than Keera. He had just turned seventeen last month. He had been a torment to her in her younger days, always teasing the gawky overseer's daughter, but lately, in the last year or so, that teasing had changed, just as Keera had changed.

She felt Wilkes' eyes upon her, drinking in her form. Gone was the skinny boyish girl from five years past, in her place stood a young woman, athletic of form, but curvy just the same. Her blue eyes were clear and intelligent, daring, brash and fiery.

A proper young lady, now, her mother had proclaimed. Though there were times that Keera had felt like anything, but a lady.

Ro seemed to enjoy staring at her. Probably, she hated to admit, as much as she, had come to enjoy staring at him.

Dark of hair and green of eye, he was handsome in the way that typical farm boys were. His shoulders were broad, his arms muscular.

He was attractive, she did not deny that, but that did not mean that she would just fall into his arms, oh no.

She had too much pride to fall so easily, especially to Golan Wilkes' son.

 _He wants me_ ; she thought to herself, she could sense it, several times in the past year she had heard her father mention, when he thought she was out of earshot, that Golan Wilkes thought that their children should marry. On Oridanna, such a union was a father's right to make, but that did not mean that Keera had no say.

So far, she had not consented to the match, and neither had father. He still held out hope to see her married to one of the rich landowners in the southern provinces. As overseer, he had enough prestige to guarantee his eldest daughter a grander choice of suitors.

He wanted her to marry up, Ro would have been a good choice she supposed, but such a union would bring little prestige to the family.

The Wilkes may not have liked it, but that was the way life was. Besides, Keera was not sure she wanted to become Wilkes' wife.

They had a long history after all.

They had known each other for years, their father's having grown up together, even having served together in the Sith army. Both had served during the sacking of Coruscant. Both men having won spoils during the raid that had finally forced the distant, and hated, Republic to its knees.

Their fathers had both enjoyed the generosity of Lord Daverus. Both men had returned as conquering heroes, Ro's father having been appointed peacekeeper, while Keera's became overseer for their village and the surrounding towns.

Never had Keera been so proud.

Shaking off her surprise at having been discovered, Keera made for her swoop, surprised that she had not heard Roan approach, his own swoop having been parked beside hers.

"That was impressive," he repeated, "What you did, coming down from that tower."

His expression turned serious.

"You need to be careful," he advised, "Had someone from the imperial mission saw that little display."

Ro did not need to finish that sentence, everyone here knew what the Imperial mission was.

Keera frowned.

She had not thought of that.

Oridanna was small, almost beyond the notice of the empire. Yet that did not mean that the Empire had no presence here. The imperial mission was part of that, a group of priests out of Dromund Kass, the imperial throne world. Teachers of the darkside, they called themselves, representatives of the Sith Lords, teachers who preached the superiority of the Sith Masters, proclaiming the emperor all but a god.

Strange folk, at least they seemed that way to people of a simple farming world.

The mission had people everywhere, looking for anyone with special talents. When a girl or boy caught their interest, they would often vanish, never to be seen again. Rumor was that the mission killed those children, or sent them off world, sent them off to various academies throughout the empire, sent them off to be trained as Sith.

All that was certain was this, when the mission noticed you, you were never seen again. It was a fate that anyone from Oridanna, with its tight bonds of family and community, feared.

We have enough here, enough work and pleasures to live whole full lives, Keera thought, why would we risk being taken away from our home? Though a simple world, Oridanna was enough for her.

She had no desire to see the darker places of the galaxy. She was content

Keera knew about the force, how could she not, her father having served in the imperial military. He rarely spoke of what he had seen of the Sith masters, the power that they wielded in the field. What he did say however revealed something very telling.

Despite his pride in serving the empire, her father, likely the bravest man she had ever known _**feared**_ the Sith Masters.

That was enough to even give Keera Lylos pause.

The two made it back to their vehicles. The wide open plains stretched before them; in the distance they could see the smoke from Orid, the largest settlement on the planet. Normally, Keera would be on her way there now, on her way to school. The Harvest took precedence however. Most schools remained canceled, at least until Harvest was done.

"Would you like to grab some food," Ro asked her.

"I can't sorry," she replied, "Mother is heading into Worro today, and she needs me to watch the girls."

"How are they doing?"

Keera sighed.

It was not easy being a big sister.

"Pamir is a stubborn as ever, willful" Keera replied, "I don't think I was ever that stubborn at twelve."

"I don't know," Ro laughed, "You Lyloses are always have been pretty stubborn."

"Jerk," she said glaring at him, but there was no heat in her words. "Talitha is at least old enough now to help mother and me. Anj is still a handful, but I think that has to do more with be four years old than being a Lylos."

"How old is Talitha now?" he asked, "Seven?"

"Eight, and far shaper than me when it comes to doing things around the house, droids, household machines, I swear the girl is going to be an engineer before she turns twelve."

Ro laughed at that.

"What of Beric," he asked, "Has your father heard anything from him?"

Keera's brow furrowed. Beric was her older brother, the one who had spent his life looking up to stars. The one who always pestered father for tales of this exploits in the Sith army.

It should have been no surprise when he left.

"The Imperial navy doesn't give him a lot of time to send holos home," she replied, "He was serving on a cruiser the last time I heard."

She tried to push all thoughts of her brother out of her mind. Father had been angry when he heard of his son's plans to enlist. He had seen enough of war, and hoped that his children would never need face it themselves. Her brother had not listened, and now he was off doing who knew what.

Such was life within the Sith Empire.

She had just boarded her swoop when something large appeared on the horizon, a dark shape against the violet sky. Keera blinked. Starships were not uncommon here but never one's so large. It…

"What is that?" she asked Ro.

The boy shook his head.

"It is a battleship, I think," He answered, "Imperial, no doubt."

Keera frowned.

"What is an imperial battleship doing out here?"

Ro grinned slyly.

"I guess we should go find out," he said, "Race you into town."

Ro gunned his engine and his swoop took off like a blaster bolt. Normally, his challenge would have had Keera do the same, but…

She continued to stare at the sky, at the distant warship.

A shudder ran down her spine.

They were a small settlement she knew, one that never failed to pay tribute or meet their quotas. The Imperial navy had no cause to be here, no cause at all.

Something twisted in her, her gift perhaps, warning her of danger?

She swallowed hard, trying to moisten her throat and powered up her vehicle. She should have headed home, but instead found her vehicle pointed towards Orid, towards town.

It would not hurt to take a look, she thought. Father would be there by now; he might even know what was going on.

She gunned the engine and sped off across the plains.

It is nothing she assured herself, that ship had likely needed to stop for repairs.

Besides whatever had happened, it did not really concern them. The empire had no reason to be troubled with their humble home. They were nothing in the grand scheme of things.

We have nothing to fear, she thought to herself.

We are nothing.


	2. Father

**Chapter 2: Father**

It was quite late in the day when Keera finally got a chance to speak with her father. Everything had happened so quickly since she and Ro had arrived in Orid. There had been so much for them to process, so little time to make sense of everything that had happened.

Keera wasn't afraid, nervous perhaps, but not afraid. Father had always been there for her, shielded her.

She had no doubt that he would be able to do so now.

She made her way across the farm, past their old reclaimator droid busying itself scanning a section of soil, past the windmill that supplied most of their power, like most holdings on the plains, the Lylos home was built underground, sunk into ground to prevent damage from the windstorms that came during the winter months. The only visible entrance a small stone dome that opened up onto the plains. It was a modest place, but to the Lylos family it was home, most people would have been surprised by how small it was. They probably would have thought that the overseer should have greater holdings, an estate like some of the southern farmers.

Perhaps it should have been, but Andur Lylos had been a farmer and a soldier long before he had been overseer. The farm had been in their family for three generations. Could he have moved his family to more… _luxurious_ accommodations, perhaps, but that was not his was. He remained a simple man, with modest tastes, as long as his family had enough room to flourish and live, he was content.

Overseer Lylos was a loyal son of the empire, had little time for ambition.

 _That was for the Moffs and the Sith Lords._

She found her father working in the underground garage, cleaning and servicing his old blaster pistol. The actions surprised his daughter. Father had barely touched the thing in a year, the people that he oversaw had been humbled long ago, and he had never needed to bring a blaster, even when confronted with problems. Usually his stun baton had been enough…

The fact that he was arming himself did little to allay her fears.

IOI

She and Ro had arrived in Orid to find the entire village had turned out.

Nowhere near as large as Danna City, the planetary capital, Orid was a major processing center for the spores and crops that the surrounded farms yielded, it's high walls shielding the various processing plants and warehouses from the planets harsh winds, with a population of about three hundred humans, aliens occasionally visited here, mostly as part of crews from freighters or transports. Few tried to settle here, the empire's…disapproval of aliens was strong even here. Keera saw a pair of Twi'leks in the crowd, but did not recognize them, probably just strangers passing through.

The town square was packed by the time they had arrived. The steps of the squat government building were thick with the imperial personnel that kept the village running. Secretaries, bureaucrats and imperial missionaries stood side by side with the soldiers that kept their world safe. Keera smiled when she saw her father among them, standing next to Ro's father, the local peacekeeper. She thought to wave, but stopped when a massive hologram appeared in the center of the square. The government public address system had been activated. No one was startled by this of course, as part of the government's information system it was quite common to receive transmissions from Moff Galek, the planetary governor. Typically, these transmissions announced new quotas or to inform the people of another imperial success.

This transmission was clearly not from the rotund Moff, the human man towering above them wore robes of midnight black and battle armor, a lightsaber clipped to his belt.

As the crowd looked on the Sith Lord smiled down upon them.

"People of Oridanna, I bring you greetings and good tidings. I am Darth Feer, your new lord and protector."

Mumbled conversations rippled through the crowd, looks of surprise and disbelief passed from person to person.

"For too long," The lord's hologram continued, "The Itae system has suffered from the mismanagement and stupidity of your former master. In his dotage, Lord Daverus has allowed your world to fall away from the ideals of the empire, choosing to focus more on his ambitions that the continued success of the empire."

The lord's words surprised Keera.

Haven't we always made quota, she wondered. We have never shirked our responsibilities to the empire. Father would not have allowed it.

She once again looked at her father, his expression was a blank mask, unreadable, yet, the sense of unease that she had felt when she had first seen the warship overhead remained, twisting in her gut like a snake.

The Sith Lord's holo held out his hand gesturing to the people below.

"I am not Lord Daverus. I could not, and will not allow such mismanagement to continue. Great things are coming good people, wondrous things, the empire is about to enter into a new era if prosperity. You, the loyal citizens of the empire will be called upon to make this new era a reality."

The lord stood straighter his gaze directed at the Oridanna's leadership, the men and women who served the will of their great Emperor.

"To you the overseers and your staff, my agents will be coming to speak with you. Know that their eyes and ears are mine, that their voices are mine. They will inform you of what comes next, how you will serve in this grand endeavor."

Darth Feer smiled broadly.

"Do not be afraid, this is not the time to be timid. Soon you will know the truth and your place within my grand design, you will find new purpose there, and then…my agents will…take care of you."

Keera might have been wrong, but it looked to her that some of the officials paled at that last statement, why they did, she could not say.

"This is a glorious day for the Oridanna and the Sith Empire," The Lord's voice rumbled rising even over the winds. "The future is ours, so let us make it as grand as possible."

He raised his fist in the air.

"FOR THE EMPIRE!"

The crowd roared in response adding their voice to their new lord and master.

" **FOR THE EMPIRE!"**

" **FOR THE SITH!"**

" **FOR** _ **THE EMPEROR!"**_

Keera and Ro added their voices to the crowd. It was expected of them as imperial citizens.

Darth Feer's announcement restarted, replaying for any who might have arrived late. It would do so for the next hour. The crowd began to disperse, off to attend to their duties, as only a loyal citizen could.

Keera slipped away from Ro and made her way towards the government building, towards her father.

She wanted to speak with him, hear what he thought of all this.

She…wanted to know that everything was going to be alright.

She saw Ro's father going off with several of the soldiers under his command. Father was speaking with some town official, part of the mayor's staff, she thought.

Andur Lylos, even dressed in his overseer garb, still looked like the farmer that he was. His dark brown hair bleached by the sun, his face tanned and wind burned, he was no so different that others who lived out on the plains.

The only difference of course, was his eyes, they were brown and…well…looked older than her father was. He had went to war twice in his life for the empire, first as member of the Empire's defense force, holding off any attack from their enemies, and later as part of the group that had struck hard at the heart of the stagnant republic…

Those eyes have seen much, she realized, too much.

As his first born daughter, Andur Lylos had always dotted on her, his little girl. She did not doubt that he loved her sisters too, but... what they shared was different.

Unlike her younger sisters, Keera favored her mother. All three of the younger girls had father's brown hair and eyes. Keera's hair was the raven color of her mother's, her eyes the same icy blue.

"You will break hearts one day, child, this I know," her father had said once, "I should know, my heart broke with love the first time I held you as a babe.

Keera had blushed at that. She had always been closer with her father. Her sisters always looked to mother for guidance, but not her.

She was her father's girl, and she always would be.

When he noticed her he looked up and smiled.

He pulled her into a tight embrace.

"What are you doing here, Blossom," the childish nickname he had given her so long ago warming her heart.

"Why are you not doing your chores?"

"I finished with the towers, Dad," she assured him, "When I saw that…"

She gestured to the warship in the sky, Andur Lylos' expression turned grim.

"I wanted to see you," she added, "Make sure everything was alright."

His expression remained guarded.

"I'm fine Blossom, just…a lot to take in today. I will be…oh…hello Ro."

"Overseer," her friend said coming up beside her. Keera felt a brief surge of frustration. Wishing she had had more time alone with her father.

 _Damn it,_ Ro, she thought to herself.

 _Could you not give me five damn minutes!_

She thought that father might say more if they were alone, that he might let her in on what was truly going on. Ro's presence stopped that.

"I don't suppose you could see my daughter safely home," he asked her friend; "I have a lot of work to do, preparing for our lord's agent."

"Of course, Overseer," Ro promised with a slight bow.

"Dad," Keera said quickly, "What…"

"Go with Ro, Blossom," her father said stopping her, "I will likely be home late tonight; tell your mother not to wait up."

Keera nodded, not wanting to go, wanting to stay at her father's side, to help him.

Ro took her by the arm and led her away. Keera was dutiful enough not to try and resist.

She was not one to disobey her father.

They had journeyed back in silence. About halfway back Ro got a message from his Dad, asking him to come home.

He had not wanted to leave her, but Keera insisted that he should.

This was not the first time she had ridden a swoop alone across the plains. She would be fine.

The look on Ro's face suggested hurt; perhaps he wanted her to ask him stay; perhaps that was a mistake on her part.

"Be careful," he said before shooting off for home.

Keera watched him go, feeling…a bit confused, with everything going on, she really did not need this right now.

She would talk to Ro tomorrow.

She would set things straight with him then.

Right now, she needed to get home.

Mom expected her to be watching the girls.

It would not do to be any later than she already was.

IOI

They had just been sitting down to dinner when father had returned. Keera and Pamir set the table while Talitha chased down little Anj.

Her father's expression brightened when he saw them. His ladies, as he called them, the stars in sky.

Since Beric had left, Keera had taken his seat beside her father. Mother sat to his right, with Anj next to her where she could help the toddler if needed. Pamir and Talitha plopped down in their seats as the family shared a meal together.

Father said little during the meal, far more quiet that usual. Mother kept Anj quiet while Keera's younger sisters talked enough for four peoples. Mother chided Talitha for bringing her droids to the table, referring to the small cleaning droid the girl had been tinkering with all week. Pamir went on and on about a boy in her class, how she hoped that he would contact her by week's end.

The conversation caused Mya Lylos to turn her head, regarding her eldest daughter. In her eyes, Keera should have been more actively pursuing a match than she was. The older girl sank down into her chair, wishing she could vanish.

Father wiped his mouth and excused himself from the table, leaving much of his meal untouched. Keera watched him go out the door, feeling concerned.

Mother glanced at her, and Keera mentioned what had happened. Mya Lylos had seen the Sith battleship in orbit of course, but had thought nothing of it, more focused on her chores in Worro.

Keera rushed through her meal, not so much that mother would notice, but faster than normal to be sure.

She still hoped to speak with her father. She still hoped that he would tell her what was going on. The cold sense of foreboding her in gut remained.

She wanted to be reassured. Father had always been good at that.

She wanted to hear him say everything would be alright…

She needed to hear him say it.

She needed to know.

IOI

Her father looked up as she entered. He had not changed out of his work clothes, the uniform he wore as overseer. His jacket hung on the back of his chair, while he quickly and methodically reassembled his blaster.

"Dad?" she murmured.

He gave her a tired look.

"Is something wrong, Blossom?" he asked.

She frowned.

"You tell me."

Her father sighed.

"It is nothing, kid," he said, "Just politics and the worries of an old man."

She smiled, hoping to cheer him up.

"You're not that old Dad," she reminded him.

He laughed.

"You used to think I was _ancient_. You even told me that once!"

"I was five, I think. Back then the thought of being twenty seemed old."

Her father snorted with amusement.

"It seems so long ago now."

He looked down at her blaster and frowned.

"Perhaps it is good your brother is not here," he said, "I can only imagine how he would act in a time like this."

Keera's brow furrowed.

 _In a time like what_ , she wondered.

 _What isn't Dad telling me?_

"I always hoped that your brother would follow me," he said, "Take over the farm, marry a good woman."

He shook his head.

"I never wanted the military life for him, not after the war."

"We **won** , Dad," she reminded him, "The Empire **won**."

"The Republic signed a treaty, Blossom, which is not the same as winning. There are many dark lords out there who do not agree with the decision. There are many out there who would see us renew our attack on the republic."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

"They attacked _**us**_ , Dad," she reminded him, "They drove us into hiding. How many Sith worlds died when the Jedi came. They tried to wipe us out!"

"After _we_ attacked them," he reminded her.

"They sent spies to Korriban! They would have attacked us anyway."

Her father smiled.

"It is nice to see you remember your history," he said, "At least your teachers are doing something right."

Keera sighed.

She still did not know where this was coming from.

Father had fought for the Empire twice.

How could he speak like this?

If anyone needed to know how evil the Republic and the Jedi were, all you had to do was look around the empire, how few the pureblood Sith were in the Empire, billions of their race had died by the hand of the Jedi, and all under the orders of the Republic.

It had been genocide!

Why shouldn't the empire seek vengeance?

"There are Sith Lords that would seek to pick up where we left off. Perhaps the Emperor in his wisdom will grant them that boon. I just don't want to see my family swept away because of the desires of lesser men."

Keera was not sure how to respond to that.

"Is this about Lord Feer?" she asked.

Her father nodded.

"I served under many Sith Lords during my time in the army," he said, "Though powerful, our masters can be…fickle at times. They let their own desires get in the way of the empire's goals. Normally the Emperor would keep them in line, but we have heard so little from him these past few years. The more ambitious Sith are starting to take notice…"

"Dad," Keera asked, "Are we in danger?"

"Life **is** danger, Blossom, I had hoped to shield you from that reality a little longer, but…I can't…not anymore."

He chuckled then, it was not a pleasant sound, not the normal laugh of her father.

"You have nothing to worry about," he said, "The Sith have always played their games. Whether we are ruled by Darth Daverus or Darth Feer doesn't change that. They still need the crops we grow and the spores we collect. As long as we are producing, we are safe."

Father finally finished his blaster; he spun it expertly before sliding it back into its holster. He rose from his chair. Keera, not really sure why, ran to him.

She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Dad," she murmured into his chest.

She remained that way for a while, enjoying his presence, the warmth of his body, the smell of him. Simple things she had known since she had been just a babe.

"It will be alright girl," he promised, gently patting her back.

"Everything will be alright."


	3. Dreams and Nightmares

**Chapter 3: Dreams and Nightmares**

It was a place Keera Lylos had come to know well.

It had been late when she had finally fallen into her bed. Mother had been busy with Anj, which meant that she needed to see to Talitha and Pamir. Pamir was not really a problem, but Talitha had too much energy for her own good. She never seemed to tire out, always eager to tinker with this or try to fix that.

Finally, Keera had to threaten to take away her tools, and that Mother and Father would not let her near them for a month. The younger girl finally, grudgingly, headed off to bed. Talitha finally settled down, leaving a very weary older sister in her wake.

Keera shook her head.

 _Mother had somehow survived having_ _ **five**_ _children._

Her eldest daughter did not know how she did it.

Keera feared she would have gone mad after the first.

Her early rise to service the towers, followed up by everything else had left Keera drained.

All she wanted now was to fall into bed and slip under her blankets.

The dawn would come soon enough, too soon.

She was not that eager to greet it.

Mother had gone out to speak with father, who remained outside, working in the garage. Keera would have preferred that he be there to say goodnight, but exhaustion finally got the better of her.

She had only just managed to slip into her nightgown, and crawl into bed.

She was asleep in mere moments.

When the dreams finally came they were welcomed. As she had grown there had been several dreams that came to again and again. The one that she experienced now; was the most prevalent…

…and the most desired.

She dreamed of the stars, the vast galaxy stretching out before her. She towered over it, a colossus! Yet, the void was not silent, she could hear voices, so many voices, all calling a name, her name she thought, yet…it did not sound like her name…

Strange…so very strange, and yet so familiar that it was as much a part of her as any of the stories she heard from her mother growing up.

The voices, a mixture of cheers, wails, prayers, and curses caressed her. It was… _intoxicating,_ fear, love, worship and hatred…it was hard to believe that she could ever inspire such emotions in others. What could she, a simple farm girl, do to ever cause the galaxy to take notice of her? She was nothing after all…

…and nothing was likely all she would ever be.

Sadness started to take her then, that realization that her life, though full, would likely never be more than this, an old feeling to be sure, but one that still remained. Greatness was not for her, not for the Lyloses, what would she do with greatness if she ever found it? How could she…

The dream shifted, she felt herself being pulled, she let it happen; she felt no fear, not when she knew what waited at the end of the journey.

She closed her eyes, feeling warmth on her face, in the calm of her dreams…she felt suffused with light, warmed by it. It was like slipping into a warm bath on a cold evening. It was like…

The world stopped, she blinked her eyes and looked around.

She was here.

She was not sure what this place was. She had certainly never seen it on a holo or in her history lessons. Great pillars rose above her, tall statues of hooded people dotted the great hall; smooth cool tiles chilled her bare feet. She passed a window, beyond its glass, a great cityscape sprawled. Speeders of every type filled the sky; more traffic than she had ever seen, and all following each other in patterns heading to places she could not even imagine.

Around her milled hundreds of humans and aliens. Some she recognized, others were a complete mystery to her, their strange faces all the colors of the rainbow, gentle voices conversed, speaking of things that she could not really understand. All were clad in cream colored tunics and breeches, their brown robes swished around their feet as they walked, a strange air of calm filled the air; warmth suffused the air, suffused Keera.

She had visited this place many times in her dreams or rather…she had visited **him.**

She smiled and started walking.

She did not need any directions.

She knew the way by heart.

She found herself in a great chamber, a room filled with a massive fountain, or perhaps it was many fountains, all formed into one.

She made her way through the chamber feeling the cool spray of water on her face, it should have been impossible in a dream, but well…there it was.

She slipped between the fronds of some great plant. That is where she found him, where she always found him.

The boy had his back to her, they were the same age, but he stood a head taller. He sat on a smooth stone, surrounded by leafy plants, his body at rest, his short blonde spikey hair damp from the fountain's spray, the small braid in his hair sticking to his neck. He did not acknowledge her, but she was certain he knew she was there.

Her oldest friend, she thought, her first real friend.

The one reason she welcomed this dream, a chance to see him.

It had first come to her when she was just a toddler. There were not many children among the farmers back then, certainly not ones that were of an age with Andur Lylos' daughter.

She had wanted a friend, prayed for one. Pamir would not be born for a few more years, and Beric had been eight, with his own ideas.

He certainly did not want his little sister following him around.

So one, night, she had dreamed of this grand place, and among the many people here, she found a boy, the same age as her, and as just as lonely.

The two of them became friends almost immediately.

In the dream, she had found the boy, or maybe he had found her. It was something they still did not understand, or rather, she didn't; her friend had his own ideas. They shared a link through the Force, he had told her once a year or so ago. It was something that neither of them truly understood, but accepted.

"Am **I** dreaming this," she had asked him, "Or are **you?"**

He smiled at her, a warm friendly smile.

"I don't know," he said, "Does it really matter?"

At the time, she felt that it did not.

She was just happy to have _**this**_ , to share this simple moment.

It was precious.

Both boy and girl had grown up together, visiting each other while they slept. As toddlers they had played in this room, racing and chasing each other through the grand halls. As they grew older, he showed her the hidden places he had discovered here, secret places where younglings could forget their duties for a few moments and simply be younglings.

"What duties," she had asked him once.

He had shrugged.

"Important ones," he said, "Defending the galaxy."

Keera did not understand, but that was okay.

She was just grateful to be here.

She was grateful to be with her friend.

Strangely enough, they never found themselves in her home. From some reason it was always her that was drawn to him. She did her best to describe her home for him. She wanted to share her world, its beauty and simplicity. He was intrigued but never found his way to her world.

She wondered why not.

More years, passed.

Boy and girl continued to grow. The pleasures of children changed, as they slowly grew into adolescents. They still played, but their games became more…mature. Mere tag among the fountains was not enough anymore, prizes were offered. Prizes that Keera hoped would tempt him.

"If you catch me," she offered, "I might just give you a kiss."

The boy tensed.

"Such things are not allowed," he told her.

She frowned.

"Why?"

"Because they are **not** ," he repeated, "Attachment is forbidden."

The coolness of his words surprised her, hurt her.

"Why?"

The boy shrugged.

"It just is."

"But this is just a dream," she reminded him, "Can't you enjoy the forbidden in a dream?"

He sighed

"I'm not sure that this _**is**_ just a dream. It…it is complicated."

She did not know how to respond to that.

His reaction had woken her from a sound sleep, tears running down her cheeks.

She was not entirely sure why.

Things had been tense between them for a while after that, but slowly, they had returned to normal, or at least as normal as these dream meetings were.

Keera did not want there to be problems between them.

She wanted to remain close to him.

It was strange, indeed, they felt so close in the dream, and yet, neither he nor she had ever given the other their name. They had been content to simply be.

It had been enough for both of them.

It was hard to believe, but she felt closer to her dream friend than she ever had to Ro, and he was flesh and blood. For her to care so about a dream, someone who may not even be real was ridiculous, but she did, she cared…

…and she was not sure how to stop.

She had not seen him in a long time; it had been several months since they had last spoken. Keera was not sure why. She had simply not dreamed of him for a while.

That absence had been troubling. She had come to miss him. She had started to fear that she would never again find her way back to this place.

She was grateful she was wrong.

She was not sure that he noticed her. She stopped just a few steps behind him.

She smiled shyly.

""Hi," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

He titled his head slightly.

"Hello again," he murmured as he rose to greet her.

"Welcome back."

Their eyes met her blue ones to his hazel ones.

Keera's blue eyes widened with surprise, she looked away, a blush suffusing her cheeks.

Oh my!

She looked away, trying not to look, but at the same time unable to stop completely.

"I'm sorry," she gasped.

"I'm so sorry."

Her friend was…well…he was not fully dressed.

He wore his breeches, but that was it. His chest was bare, his broad shoulders and strong arms seemed somehow clearer than other things in the haze of the dream world. His flat stomach drew her eyes, the muscles there dusted with hair.

Her body warmed at the sight, and no matter how hard she tried not to look she found her eyes drawn to him.

Her friend chuckled. His eyes twinkled with merriment.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, sounding amused.

She winced.

"Could you put a shirt on," she asked, "Please?"

He laughed again.

"Says the girl in the tiny nightgown," he reminded her, "Someone might think you are trying to distract me."

Her eyes narrowed, her nightgown was not…

She looked down, and realization set in.

She had gone to bed tired; the gown she was wearing…probably about three years old now was a little tight. It clung to her body in parts like a second skin.

She glanced up again, realizing that she as not the only one who was blushing, her dream friend was too.

It both annoyed and pleased her at the same time.

Boys, she thought grimly, why did they have to make things so complicated?

It seemed that even in a dream she could escape that little problem.

"It is good to see you again, he said pulling a loose fitting shirt over his head. The mixture of relief and disappointment she felt was troubling, but she tried to ignore it.

She did not want this to be any more awkward than it was.

He held out his hand, as he had done to her so many times, she took it without reservation, letting him lead her on into his world.

The sense of peace she felt returned. She looked around enjoying the sound, the gurgle of the water, the soft movement of the plants. It was a far different sound from the rustling of the grass on Oridanna.

"I can't imagine what it was like to grow up in such a place," she said, "Surrounded by such beauty."

The boy sighed.

"We were proud of this place," he said with a sad smile, "Maybe that is why I'm always drawn back to it. I spent so much time here; we spent so much time here."

He shook his head.

"It had been almost five years. I still miss it."

Her brow furrowed.

"Why do you miss it?" she asked.

"It was destroyed during the war, the whole temple was destroyed."

A shiver ran down her spine, she felt a sudden sense of cold, something she had never experienced before.

A loud boom shook the room around them, the very walls shook.

Her friend's hand fell away; he looked around his eyes suddenly filling with anger and regret.

"No," he said, "I don't want to dream about this!"

His grip tightened on Keera's hand, he pulled her away, his sense of urgency made her panic.

"What it is?" she asked.

"What is going on?!"

"We're in a nightmare," he informed her, "Mine! You have to wake up now."

"Why? What is this? What is going…?"

He seized her by her arms. He shook her.

"Wake up," he shouted.

"But I…"

"WAKE UP!"

The sound of blaster fire filled her ears.

Keera Lylos woke up.

A nightmare was waiting for her when she did.

IOI

She woke to her bedroom door splintering she sat up in bed staring forward, her eyes widen with shock.

Armed troopers entered her bedroom two of them.

They were staring right at her.

There was a brief silence, and moment of disbelief, and then…

"Bring the girl," she heard one of them say.

"Yes, sir," the other answered.

She flung off her covers and tried to run, she tried to dash between the soldiers, but they were too fast.

One grabbed her by the arm; he twisted it behind her back, painfully.

She yelped, trying to struggle.

It did no good.

"Take her outside," the other soldier said.

"I'll finish up in here."

The soldier pushed her forward, the grip on her arm like a vice.

He pushed Keera out into the hallway.

She shouted her words thick with fear and shock. She demanded to know what was going on. Her father was the overseer. They could not do this.

The man did not answer; he simply pushed her forward, his strength threatening to break her arm.

He pushed her out…into a world of screams.

Anj was wailing. Pamir and Talitha were shouting as well crying for help, crying for Mother. Mother was shrieking, angrily shouting at these men who had invaded their home. Keera thought she saw her; one of the troopers had her by the arm as well, shoving her back into her room slamming the door behind her.

Everywhere she looked she saw soldiers they were everywhere it seemed. Their dark gray armor bore the markings of the empire, but that made no sense.

Father served the Empire. He did so loyally.

 _ **Why**_ _would Sith Troopers do this? Why would they invade their home?_

The troopers were tearing the place apart. Keera caught a glimpse of one placing some type of device on the wall. She could not see what it was, things were happening too fast.

The soldier pushed her up the steps, she stumbled a few times but the soldier did not stop. She hit her head on the stone landing, stars exploded before her eyes, and even then the trooper did not relent.

He pushed her out into the night.

IOI

The Lylos farm was awash with light, searchlights mounted on vehicles swept back and forth. Two military transports stood idling. One was a large troop vessel, capable of carrying a full squad of the soldiers. The other was a smaller command speeder, one used for officers.

Keera blinked, trying to clear her head, something warm was flowing into her eyes. She tasted her own blood, warm and salty.

The soldier pushed her again, forcing her into the middle of the crowd, troopers glanced up they passed. Finally, "her escort," forced her to her knees. At last Keera was able to see what was going on, though it made no sense.

She shook her head,

The whole world had gone mad!

She saw an imperial officer typing on a data pad, at his side was woman; her clothes marked her as member of the imperial mission. She said something to the officer and went into the transport.

Yet, she saw no sign of father. Why was he not here? Why was he not trying to stop this?!

"DAD!" Keera shouted.

"DAD!"

Something closed around her throat.

She gagged struggling for breath.

"SILENCE WRETCH!" a harsh voice growled.

Her hands were suddenly free, she raised them to her throat, trying to stop what was choking her, but there was nothing there.

Her fingers clawed at nothing. Spots started to dance before her eyes.

"STOP IT!" she heard a familiar voice cry out.

"LEAVE MY DAUGHTER ALONE!"

The pressure faded. She fell forward, coughing and sobbing both.

It was only then that she saw her father.

It was then that her heart broke.

Andur Lylos was on his knees before the garage, his uniform coat dirty, the knees of his trousers torn. His hands were bound behind his back, two soldiers held him down.

It was then that Keera saw it, saw him; the one responsible for this madness.

A shudder when through her, frigid fear washed over her.

He wore robes of black, his chest covered by a dark gray breastplate. She thought she saw a lightsaber clipped to his belt. She had only ever seen pictures of the Sith weapons, but somehow she knew that it what it was. He looked human, but it…it looked like there was something was wrong with him. His skin was pale, sickly pale, bone white in the light coming from the vehicles, but that was not the most disturbing thing.

When he turned to look at her, Keera saw his eyes, fierce yellow orbs that burned with power, eyes that took in, but did not give out.

He smiled coldly down at her.

"Welcome, my dear," he said cordially.

"How _nice_ that you could join us."

The man stepped away, from her his attention once again drawn to father. Andur Lylos did not struggle, he looked up into the eyes of the man in black, the Sith that had come to their home. Over the sound of the troopers and their machines, Keera thought she could hear mother and the girl's screaming, their cries muffled by the walls of their home. It was only then that the Sith spoke, his voice cutting through the din, drawing her attention, it was a cold voice, a powerful voice.

"Do you know who I am, Andur Lylos," the Sith asked father.

Father sighed; he bowed his head in surrender.

"I know, my lord," he said meekly, "You are Lord Feer's agent."

"I am Lord Feer's _**enforcer**_ ," the Sith responded, "His eyes and ears on this…this mudball."

The Sith shook his head. He seemed almost bored with the carnage he had made of the Lylos family home; perhaps he had grown use to such chaos.

Perhaps it was just another day for him.

"Can you guess why I have come?" the Sith asked.

"Yes, my lord," father said.

"And why is that?"

Father sighed.

"Lord Feer wishes to replace the old overseers. He believes us a threat to his rule here."

The Sith laughed at that, a cold mocking laugh.

"You overestimate yourself, worm. If Lord Feer was threatened by you, he simply would have had us destroy this place from orbit; our bombers would have turned these fields to glass.

The Sith stood before her father, towering over him like a colossus, when he spoke his voice was soft, almost a whisper.

Somehow Keera heard it perfectly.

"This is about tradition. Sith tradition. Lord Feer fancies himself a traditionalist, you see. When a lord is defeated, his powerbase must be completely annihilated. There must be no chance of resistance, no chance of the past coming back to haunt."

The Sith leaned in close to father, he tried to hold the man's gaze, but in the face of such power, Keera's father, the bravest man she knew, quailed.

Such was the power of the Sith.

"I will tell you Lylos," the Sith hissed, "I have found this task…more that tedious. All day now I have dealt with you maggots. Making sure your replacement's path was clear. I must admit, I have grown bored with it, but what can I do? My master's orders must be obeyed. Is that not right?"

"Yes, my lord," father agreed, "An order must be obeyed."

The enforcer grinned.

"I'm so glad you understand," the enforcer chuckled, "Now it is time to end this. I have five more overseers to deal with before dawn."

The Sith rose, he walked away from father like he was nothing.

Andur Lylos spoke up, trying to drawn his attention back.

"I am a loyal son of the Empire," he called out, "I accept our Lord's judgment. I expect no mercy; all I ask is that he spares my wife and daughters. They are simple farm folk, no threat to either our lord or the empire."

The Sith paused mid-step, he seemed to be…considering father's offer.

"You wish me to let them go then?"

"They are no threat to the empire," father repeated.

The Enforcer's yellow eyes once again found Keera; they almost seemed to be looking into her, seeing right into her soul.

She shuddered and bowed her head, offering no resistance, but inside, far down deep, a small ember was beginning to glow.

"The dark haired one has already been spoken for, I'm afraid," the Sith said, "Your replacement, Overseer Wilkes, wants this one. She is to be his son's plaything."

Keera's blue eyes widened.

Wilkes, she thought, Golan Wilkes! Ro's father!

I…I am to b his! A trophy!

He was Father's replacement?

He knew about this!

Shock and horror filled Keera's mind, but beneath that was anger.

It fanned the tiny ember in the dark, the flame began to grow.

"Keera will do her duty," she heard father say; "She is a good girl."

"For her sake," the enforcer said, "she better be."

The Sith glanced down into the underground farm, the muffled screams of the rest of their family just audible over the soldiers and their equipment.

"And what of the rest?" the enforcer pondered, "I should just let them go then?"

"They are no threat, my lord," father said again.

The Sith smiled at him.

"Perhaps you are right," he said with a nod, he raised a small device from his belt; he held it up for father to see.

Andur Lylos' eyes widened.

"My lord?" he gasped.

"And now," the Sith said with pleasure.

"I let your family go."

"NOOOOO!" Father screamed.

The Sith pushed the button.

Night turned to day; a blinding flash filled the plains.

Keera froze as a huge fireball rose from their home, the ground shook from the sound of the explosion.

Fire rose into the night sky, a great pillar of flame and smoke.

Keera froze. Shock washed away any pain she was in.

The farm had become a blazing fire pit, the screams of mother and her sisters had stopped.

It was gone, she realized in horror.

It was all gone!


	4. The Incident

**Chapter 4: The Incident**

She felt like she was drowning!

The fire licked at her flesh, burning her skin, any cry that escaped her mouth was lost in the roar of the flames, the cry of a dying beast, shrieking in agony, resisting death, and hungry to take anyone or anything else with it.

She staggered through the burning hall, crying out the names of her loved ones, wailing for her parents, shouting out the names of her little sisters. She tried to listen, tried to find them, tried to save them.

The fire grew hotter, her flesh began to blister, her hair began to smolder; her clothes began to smoke. Part of her wanted to just lay down, to give up, and to let the flames take her too. She thought of letting go, giving herself over, and letting it all be done.

What did it matter if she let herself be consumed, it would be better than the alternative…

…it would be better than being alone.

As she started to sink, she suddenly felt it, a realization that she was not alone.

Her eyes widened.

She was not alone!

She rose again, struggling against the heat, against the fire.

She would not be denied!

She would make it through this.

She knew they were there…somehow.

She could feel it.

Pamir, so stubborn so ready to be independent, so ready to seize life by throat and take everything she could from it.

She had been at window when the fire came, crying out for help, crying out for father. Father would come, he would keep them safe. He always did. He was…

The world flashed, the wall blew in behind her; the shockwave lifted her up. Pamir Lylos did not even have time to cry out…

She was vaporized by the blast, gone…dust on the wind.

DEAD.

Keera Lylos howled.

Talitha had been at the door, trying to slice the lock. Keera had taken her tools, but she always had random ones floating around her bedroom. She had been as scared as Pamir, but despite her youth, she had not been crippled by it.

She would get them out of here; she would open the door, set mother and the others free.

The door clicked, and hissed open. Talitha darted into the hall, calling out to mother. Trying to…

…The charge on the wall behind her detonated with a loud beep. She had not even had time to realize where the sound was coming from.

Talitha Lylos, the smarter of Andur Lylos' daughters vanished in a flash of heat and pain.

She was gone, her presence winked out.

DEAD.

Keera shrieked her name, struggling to rise.

It did not matter.

Mother and Anj.

Mother had given up shouting, the troopers had thrown her in with her youngest, little Anj was wailing, she did not understand what was going on.

Mother held the little girl, trying to sooth her, promising her that everything was going to be alright.

No charge went off outside of mother's room, perhaps it malfunctioned; perhaps in their haste the soldier that set it had made some mistake.

It did not matter.

Keera felt her mother's presence, the presence of her little sister, to bright spots on the tapestry of the universe. When the explosion brought down their home, the ceiling collapsed, Mother and Anj had not even had time to scream.

The full weight and heat of the destruction around them fell down on their heads, they lasted slightly longer than Pamir and Talitha had, and then…they too…winked out, their light crushed by the heavy rubble.

Buried.

Gone.

DEAD!

Keera was no longer a person, she wailed like a wounded animal.

Gone. Lost. DEAD!

They were all gone!

It was only then that he was there, her savior, her hero.

Andur Lylos.

Father!

He had come.

He was not in the flames, not lost as she was.

He was outside, in the open air.

He was fighting.

He was fighting for her…

And then…so was she.

She was on her knees, her hands bound behind her, she watched father get free of their captors. His hands were still bound, but they were no longer behind him.

Andur Lylos had been a soldier, a loyal son of the empire; he did not know the meaning of the word quit.

Suddenly he had a blaster in his hand; he shot down the troopers trying to restrain him. He shot down the officer trying to draw his pistol on him.

The Sith Enforcer drew his lightsaber; it awoke with a hiss like a venomous snake. It hummed like a hive of angry bees. The Sith's face was bathed in crimson light.

Father shot him…he tried to shoot him.

The Sith blocked his shots, his blade was a red blur. Father fired again and again.

The enforcer was laughing; he began to advance on father. Andur Lylos continued to fire.

A horrible realization struck Keera.

He is not afraid, she knew, the Sith was toying with him.

It was all a game to him, a distraction.

The realization shocked Keera…shocked and enraged her!

Father was a hero!

He did not deserve this!

They did not deserve it!

The world seemed to slow down, growing slower by the second. Time flowed like tree sap in the winter.

Keera watched as the Sith raised his hand, he gestured.

The blaster flew from Andur Lylos' hand, flew out and away, into the darkness. She saw the surprise on his face, the surprise that quickly morphed into determined hate.

Father charged the other man, eager to tear into him with his bare hands.

He never reached him.

The world continued to slow.

The Sith did not even try to defend himself, he held his blade out before him, its glowing red tip pointed at father's chest.

The Enforcer raised his hand again, he gestured inward, a pulling motion.

Andur Lylos was yanked into the air, yanked forward.

His chest met the red blade, it did not stop. Andur Lylos gasped, more in surprise, in disbelief than actual pain.

He looked into the eyes of the Sith, the enforcer's eyes blazed triumphantly, he was grinning brightly, savoring the moment.

Keera stared, unable to move, unable to grasp what was happening.

Father gulped, he coughed.

He glanced over at his daughter, her arms still bound, blood flowing from the wound on her forehead.

He gave her a sad smile.

The light was fading from his eyes. He was fading.

The world had stopped dead; all of reality seemed to be holding its breath.

Father spoke to her, his voice so quiet it would have been missed by anyone else, anyone but his daughter, anyone but Keera.

She heard it.

She heard him with crystal clarity.

Four words, four tiny words, but in that moment they filled the universe.

Keera heard them. She heard him. Her father. Her hero.

Four words…

 _I love you, Blossom._

The light faded from Andur Lylos. He winked out like a candle, a star lost in the night sky.

The Sith gestured outward, her father's body flew back, falling into the flames that had been their home.

Lost.

Gone.

 _ **DEAD!**_

They were all gone.

They were all dead.

 _ **Dead.**_

 _ **Dead.**_

 _ **DEAD!**_

Keera was frozen, the flames that had licked at her skin moments ago seemed lightyears away now. Now there was only cold, desolate, empty cold…

But the cold was not empty, something was there, hidden from sight, moving, coming, hungry.

The Sith Enforcer was advancing on her, he was talking but she could not hear his words, and even if she could, she likely would not have cared.

What did it matter?

What did anything matter?

It was gone.

Everything was gone.

The thing in the darkness finally reached her touched her. Its touch was the void of space; it crawled up her arm, filling her cold so deep that it burned her soul.

Yet, in that moment, she did not resist, she took in the darkness, welcomed it.

It was sweet in its way, cold, cleansing, and as it scoured her clean, she felt it….

Anger…no that was too small a word, rage, fury…like the fire of a thousand supernovas.

PURE WHITE HATE!

Her blue eyes found the Enforcer's he was laughing; he did not seem to realize what was going on? He could not see the darkness.

Are you going to be good, little one," he purred, "Are you going to be a good little trophy?"

Keera did not answer with words, she had none.

She answered with the cold.

Black frigid RAGE!

The night turned to day.

Time seemed to slow.

The Enforcer stepped back, his eyes widened with disbelief, with surprise, she felt him trying to gather his strength, to resist, giving himself time to raise his blade, to strike back.

She decided not to let him do that.

She reached out with the hungry darkness.

You will pay, she thought.

EVERYONE WILL PAY!

It tore his defenses away; they were nothing, as if they were but a blanket in the hands of a child.

The darkness embraced him, furious, hungry!

It consumed him, he withered like a flower during a drought; his dried corpse flew back and shattered, blasted away by the darkness, the hate.

She heard the soldiers cry out, barking orders, trying to fight.

The cold darkness did not allow that either.

It reached out for them, one by one; they winked out as well, consumed by rage.

Keera was screaming, she screamed until her throat was raw, and her voice failed her.

The darkness flowed back into her.

She tried to stop it, to push it away, but it would not be denied.

The cold embraced her, made itself part of her, part of her soul.

She slid to the ground, tears running down her cheeks.

She could not say how long she lay there, a moment, a day, a century…?

What did it matter now?

She heard the sound of feet approaching, she probably should have rose, tried to run, but she couldn't.

She was so cold, so cold and weary.

This is how I die, she thought.

This is how it happens.

She lay there as a single person stood over her, she heard a voice talking, and the glow of what might have been a holo-communicator.

The darkness wrapped around her, squeezing her in its frigid embrace.

She let go, grateful to be finally done.

At least it is over, she thought as everything fell away.

At least I'm done.

IOI

She was not sure how much time had passed, but slowly, sound came back to her. It was muffled at first, but it grew closer, drawing her back, back to place she did not really want to be.

Back…to the land of the living.

She heard the whine of machines, the click of metal. A slight whir followed by a pinching sensation in her wrists and ankles.

She tried to move and found out she couldn't, quickly she began to push against the darkness, trying to swim, up and out of its inky depths. Fear and panic rose in her breast. She felt a stabbing pain in her arm, she gasped as it withdrew.

The hungry darkness tried to return, to burn away what opposed her, but it slid away, like a dream, strange warmth washed over her, taking away.

She sighed.

Sweet, sweet release!

She giggled.

Nothing mattered; reality itself had become a joke.

It was funny.

It was then that she heard two voices, clearer than she heard before.

"Mistress," a mechanical sounding voice said, "The girl is starting to regain consciousness."

"I can see that See-Four," a human voice answered, "Has the injection taken effect, yet? Is it safe?"

"Yes, mistress, the girl will be lucid, but she will be unable to summon any strong emotional response. It is safe for you to converse with her."

"Very good," the second voice said with satisfaction.

"Keep her restrained until I tell you otherwise."

"Yes, mistress."

Keera groaned, the gentle warmth flowing from her arm, suffused her entire body, it made her feel…good, but did not stop her slow rise back to the waking world.

Finally, Keera Lylos opened her eyes.

The sight that greeted her made little sense.

She was sitting in a small gray metal room, not much bigger than her room back home. The walls were unadorned, except for a large red banner bearing the symbol of the Sith Empire.

Keera tried to rise only to find out that she couldn't. Her hands and feet were secured by large metal restraints. It took her no time at all to recognize what exactly she was sitting in. She had seen Sith Interrogation chairs while visiting her father at his office in Orid. Andur Lylos did not use them himself, but they were there if needed.

I deal with simple farmers, Blossom, he had told her.

A full interrogation is rarely necessary, not for such simple people.

She turned her head to the right, noticing a beeping sound. A large black spherical shaped droid floated there; once again she knew what it was, from her father's office.

An interrogation droid, there was one of those in Orid too, though she could not remember ever seeing it activated. She could see the droids many arms its saws, torches and shock prods, all locked down along the hemisphere of the droid's body, the only tool in use at that moment was a single arm bearing a large hypodermic needle...

Keera blinked thoughtfully.

Considering where she was, that she was in a cell, trapped in a chair, with an interrogation droid floating right next to her, she should have filled her with terror, and dread.

Yet, she felt nothing, only a strange sense of peace, and a muzzy feeling in her head.

How odd, she thought to herself.

How very odd.

The droid continued to watch her, its sensors scanning her for who knew what. Keera wondered if it would tell her what was going on. She wondered if it would answer her questions.

Strangely, even that seemed too much work; she lay there silently, drifting on the warmth, the numbness that suffused her.

She waited to see what came next.

There was a hiss behind her, the sound of a door opening, and footsteps, someone had come for her. Keera tried to turn her head, but the chair's restraints kept her from doing even that, she could barely look to the side, much less behind her.

Her visitor stood before her a matronly looked human woman, clad in the gray and red robes of the Imperial mission, her features were hard, her brown hair streaked with gray, her dark eyes, evaluating, her gaze drew the girl in, holding her in place.

For a moment she simply watched the girl, her expression, curious, though guarded. Finally the woman sighed and removed a pad from her gray robe.

She entered a command causing the chair to snap upward, becoming a flat table, Keera was now bound standing up, facing the older woman with her cold gaze. The missionary frowned, her expression suggested…disappointment?

Keera could not say for certain.

"I am Missionary Cybelle," the woman informed her, "I'm here on behalf of our glorious Emperor, and the wise Dark Council."

The missionary took a step back, regarding her prisoner.

"I shall be your Inquisitor, child. It is I who shall decide your fate, my decision will be final, and there will be no appeal, do you understand?"

Keera nodded dumbly.

It was the best response she could manage.

"Let us begin," the woman said holding up her pad.

"Name?"

Keera said it.

"Age?"

Fifteen years, she answered.

The missionary entered the information; she paced before Keera as she did so, not even looking at the girl.

"Have you ever done anything….impossible, Keera," asked, "Performed some feat that should have been beyond you? Done something that should have been impossible?"

Keera told her about her work on the collection towers, how she always seemed to know where to step, and just the right settings for each machine. She even mentioned the flip she had done from the tower that morning, how she leapt from a great height, and emerged unscathed.

The older woman nodded, entering what she was being told diligently. As she worked, the warmth that suffused Keera began to fade, her head began to clear.

She blinked, feeling fear for the first time, and with that fear, she found her voice again.

"Wh…where?" she said.

The missionary lowered her pad.

"Yes, child?" she asked.

"Where…where am…?"

Cybelle gave her a cold smile.

"Where are you?" she asked.

Keera nodded.

"You are in Danna City, child, you were brought to missionary headquarters three days ago. You have been unconscious for most of that time."

The girl's eyes widened.

Danna City, she thought.

Why…why would they bring me here; and…three days?

I've been unconscious for three days?!

What happened?

Why was I taken in the first place?

She had so many questions, far too many, but one stood out above all others, one she needed to know. She…she had had horrible nightmares, dreams of pain and loss.

She needed to know what had happened.

"Missionary Cybelle?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Is my father here?"

The woman looked up; her expression was one of confusion.

"Droid," she said, "Analysis."

The interrogator beeped, analyzing its date.

"All of the girl's readings are normal, Mistress."

Cybelle looked at Keera.

"Don't you remember what happened child?"

Keera shook her head.

She did not know what had happened.

All she had were nightmares.

Nightmares she prayed weren't true.

"Is the girl lying," she asked the droid.

"Unlikely," it responded, "Eye dilation, body temperature, and heart rate all suggest no deception."

"Analysis," the missionary asked it.

The droid beeped to itself, and then…

"In times of duress and great shock, the human mind can retreat in on itself," it responded, "Memories are repressed. It is a coping mechanism common in humans."

The older woman sighed.

"That will not do," she said, "the girl must remember."

She entered a command on her pad.

"Finding recording of the Lylos farm incident three days ago," she said coldly, typing in new commands, "Begin playback on this terminal."

Keera's table began to rotate; it turned to face a holo-com plate.

A cold shiver ran down the girl's spine. Her eyes widened with fear.

She struggled against her restraints.

"No," she whimpered, "I…I don't want to see! Please, don't make me!"

The woman gave her a distasteful look.

"Cease your whimpering, child. This is part of your education, you must watch."

The missionary pressed a button on the holo. The moments that occurred after the explosion at the Lylos family farm began to play.

Keera did not want to see it, she tried to shut her eyes, but clamps emerged from the back of the table, digging into her forehead forcing her eyes open.

"You must watch," the Missionary repeated.

She had to sit there, and watch everything.

The explosion, her father's failed attempt at resistance, and then what happened next.

She saw her father fall, heard his words again, as if he was standing before her again.

Tears ran down her cheeks.

"Daddy," she sobbed.

If the missionary felt any sympathy for her she did not show it.

She might as well have been a droid herself.

What happened next…it seemed impossible.

Keera was not sure if she believed it herself, yet, slowly, she began to have flashes of what happened, memories so awash with pain and rage that she could not say if they were real or not.

She watched herself on recording.

She watched herself commit murder.

The Keera in the recording threw back her head and screamed, she screamed, and screamed and screamed, yet the recording remained silent.

"There is no audio, I'm afraid," The missionary informed her, "Your scream blew out every audio sensor on the transport, and that was just the beginning."

The woman smiled savagely.

"Watch what happens next."

Keera whimpered.

She could not look away, no matter how much she wanted to…

The recording continued.

The girl on the recording continued to wail, and as she did, she thrust up her hands to the sky, in that moment blasts of energy seemed to flow from her hands, blasts that sought out every trooper that surrounded her. As the energy washed over them, their bodies withered, their husks fell, their armor falling away as the bodies underneath shattered and turned to dust. Even Lord Feer's agent was not immune; the enforcer lasted a few moments longer than his soldiers, but not much longer than that.

He crumbled away as well, his desiccated body blowing away like so many dead leaves.

The recording stopped and repeated itself, again Keera saw herself committing murder, committing treason!

She had murdered soldiers of the empire.

Her life should have been forfeit, perhaps it already was.

Cybelle was at her side, so close that she could feel the woman's breath on her cheek, warm and sweet.

"Do you remember now, child," The missionary asked.

Keera let out a shuddering breath, it felt like the weight of the galaxy now sat on her shoulders. She felt empty, numb.

It was not a nightmare, she realized.

She was alone...

…Completely and utterly alone.

What am I going to do? She thought.

What am I going to do?

The interrogation chair released her head she looked at the missionary; a single tear ran down her face.

"I…I remember," she said flatly.

"I remember everything."

"Good the missionary said nodding.

"Then…we can begin."

She pressed a button on her pad, the table on which Keera was strapped turned back into a chair again.

The girl looked up at the missionary.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked.

The older woman shook her head no.

"Killing you would be a waste, so much…potential. It would be a shame to waste it."

Keera blinked.

"But I'm a murderer," she said, "I killed Lord Feer's men."

"That you did," Cybelle agreed, "And if Lord Feer were here, he would likely ask for your death, but he is not here, is he?"

The woman gave her a sly smile.

"How good for you," she said, "Both you and the empire."

Keera blinked.

She did not understand.

"How…how can I help the Empire?" she asked.

"By serving our Emperor, of course," Cybelle answered, "Child, do you not realize what you are? What you did out there?"

Keera's head hurt, she still could not believe what she had seen...

"What am I?" she asked.

The missionary shook her head.

"I suppose I should not be surprised," she said, "Few Force sensitives have come out of this hole, I suppose that I should not be surprised that you would not recognize it, and what it meant."

Keera said nothing, her mind was awhirl.

Force sensitive, she thought.

ME?

It seemed so ridiculous, but then again, how else could someone explain what had happened

She certainly couldn't.

"The Imperial mission serves the Empire first child," the missionary informed her, "What is good for the Empire outweighs any desire of a single dark lord. Lord Feer would demand your death if he knew you were here, fortunately he does not..."

Keera's mind was finally beginning to clear, she might have been a simple farm girl, but her father had been overseer, she was not completely ignorant of the politics of the empire.

"Why would you put yourself at such a risk," she asked, "Why help me?"

" _ **We**_ are helping the empire, child," the missionary reminded her, "So many Sith died in the last war. So many masters, marauders, and assassins were lost. The Dark Council has charged the Imperial Mission with replenishing our ranks, by any means necessary."

Cybelle grinned.

"The fact that you are being helped is just a…happy coincidence."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

She was starting to realize what was going on here.

She was not sure what to make of it.

"I was not brought here to be punished was I?" she asked.

The missionary shook her head no.

"I've been chosen for something?"

Cybelle smirked.

"You have a quick mind. Good. No doubt you are feeling numb right now, so much loss cannot be easy to bear, but you must learn to endure it, for both your sake, and that of the empire. You must turn grief to anger. Sadness must become hate."

The woman stood straighter, she pressed a button on her pad.

The restraints holding Keera popped open.

She rose unsteadily, rubbing feeling back into her wrists.

"Your empire needs you, child," Cybelle informed her, "It needs strong blood, it needs new Sith."

She put a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder.

"You must accept this charge, for your empire, for your Emperor. You must become Sith."

Keera shuddered, the intensity in the other woman's eyes burned into her, the fervor of her belief in the empire burned like a star. It was the faith of a true believer.

Cybelle held her in her gaze.

"You must…say yes."


	5. Want

**Chapter 5: Want**

Keera Lylos, or rather the "Sith Hopeful" who had been Keera Lylos, found herself alone within the Imperial Mission.

The missionaries had done their best to prepare her for what was to come, and to cover her tracks. As soon as she had accepted their offer, the missionaries had gotten to work. The report that had been sent up the imperial chain of command said that the entire Lylos family had died in a fire, that they had been slain by agents loyal to the late Darth Daverus, the same agents that had slain Lord Feer's enforcer and his fellow soldiers.

It was a lie, Keera knew, yet, according to Cybelle, it was for the best.

"It is best that Keera Lylos be dead, child," the woman had said, "Lord Feer might consider her a threat if she still lived, and besides. The darkside _**will**_ change you, by the time your training is complete, it is unlikely what happened here will matter much to you."

Keera's heart had skipped nervously when she heard that.

"Change?" Keera had asked, "Changed how?"

"You will see," the woman promised, "It is different for each dark lord. Your anger will remain, but you will find other motivations as you make your way in the Empire. In the end you will have a new name, and if you are as strong as we believe you to be, it is possible the title of "Darth" will be yours as well."

Keera nodded, though she was not sure what exactly the woman meant.

How could she forget what had happened here?

It did not really seem possible.

IOI

It had been two days since her awakening, since Missionary Cybelle had explained what had happened to her. Since that time, she had been instructed to stay out of sight. It was unlikely that Darth Feer's agents were looking for her, if they were even aware of her existence, yet Cybelle decided it best to err on the side of caution.

"Soon you shall be taken off world," the woman had promised Keera, "You will be sent to one of the Empire's academies…"

The woman gave her a sly smile.

"From there, your true journey shall begin."

Keera felt a mix of fear and excitement; two of the few emotions that she still seemed to possess. The rest of the time, she felt nothing but emptiness, a hard numbness, like there was an empty hole where her heart had once beat. When she tried to think of her family, she always found herself drawn to what she had lost, when that happened, all that she seemed to feel was anger and hate. That hate was a part of her now, she could not escape it, and it seemed to be growing inside of her. Even the sweetest of memories had been tainted by it. She could not even picture her mother's face without wanting to hit something.

I can't even enjoy thinking about them, my sisters, my parents," she thought. It was just something else that Darth Feer took from me.

The realization only angered her further. The mere thought of it filling her with hate, a desire to destroy the man who had ordered the destruction of her family, her life.

She mentioned this to Cybelle, wondering if there was anything that the missionary could do for her.

The woman's response was…not very helpful, or perhaps, for someone thinking of becoming Sith, it was.

"You must embrace these emotions, girl," the woman advised, "Turn fear to anger and anger into hate. You will need those emotions, they will make you stronger."

Keera had nodded, accepting the missionary's advice…

…at least, she was trying to accept it.

So, now, she sat alone in her small room in the mission and waited. It would take time to arrange her transport. If the waiting frustrated her, that with good as well, according to Cybelle.

It would only serve to fuel her powers.

The missionaries were not Force sensitive, they admitted as much, but they did know some things about Sith training. Cybelle taught Keera breathing techniques that would aid her in her meditation, techniques that would help her focus her newly awakened abilities.

She was attempting such meditation, now. Thinking inward, trying to find the strength that had allowed her to survive Feer's enforcer, and slay both him and his men.

So far, she had little luck.

The breathing helped; at least she thought it did. When she was at rest, when she looked deep within herself, focusing on her anger, she thought that she could almost feel the power of the darkside. It was there cold and pulsing, but at the same time, just waiting to explode. Yet, when she tried to reach for it, to claim it as her own, it seemed to slip away, like mist flowing between her fingertips.

When that happened she would open her eyes and curse herself for being a weakling.

 _It is there,_ she thought, _I can feel it, but why won't it come?_

 _Why can't I bring it to me?!_

She rose and began to pace, berating herself.

Maybe they are wrong, she found herself thinking; perhaps the missionaries were wrong about me, about everything.

The thought gave her pause.

Maybe she was not strong enough to become Sith?

Maybe she would falter, before she even had a chance to begin.

That thought was enough to fill her with dread. The academy she was about to be sent to was not for the timid. The foolish were destroyed in such a place. Weakness was not tolerated, and those who were weak were broken beyond repair. People died in their training, it was dangerous, and everything you did there was designed to separate the weak from the strong.

Is this truly what I want, she wondered, to risk my life for this?

Is such a risk even worth it?

Once, perhaps, she might have said no. She might have accepted this fact, returned to her family feeling foolish that she had ever dreamed to become more than what she was. They would have taken her back; there would have been no judgment. She would have returned to her old life, eventually married and become the woman that her mother and father wanted her to be.

Unfortunately, that path was no longer open to her, her family was dead. Darth Feer had killed them.

Feer, she thought, the merest memory of his face was like a cold spike in her brain.

Black anger washed over her, rejuvenating her desire to push on, not to give up, and Lord Feer was not the only one she felt hatred towards.

She found herself thinking about Ro and his father. The enforcer had said that he had betrayed them, that Ro's father had traded her family's lives for the chance to be overseer.

Had Ro known about this? Had it been he that asked that she be spared, that she become their prisoner?

Was she simply meant to be Ro's trophy wife? Would she have been forced to stand at his side, saying whatever was asked of her, to please not only her new husband, but his overseer father, and their new Sith Master as well?

That would not have gone over well, she feared, but fear of what might have been was no longer useful to her.

She needed to focus on herself, getting what she wanted.

She sat down again, controlling her breathing, centering herself.

This time she focused on Darth Feer…

…and what she would do to him should they ever meet face to face.

Revenge, she thought…

…that…is what I need now.

It is the only thing that I will accept.

IOI

She had said as much to Missionary Cybelle the day she had accepted the woman's offer.

"Could you get me to him," she had asked, "Could you help me reach Lord Feer?"

The question had amused the older woman.

"Say that I could," she responded, "What would you do if you stood before him? What would you do if Lord Feer was standing here right now?"

Keera did not need to think very hard about that, she likely would have thrown herself against him. She would have torn out his eyes with her bare hands. She would…

"You would never have gotten within two steps of him," Cybelle said coldly, "He would have felt your rage, sensed your intention, and he would kill you with barely a thought. You would die, and that would be the end of it."

She had glared at the woman, wanting to deny it, but some part of her recognized the truth in those words.

She is not lying.

She would die, Keera realized to her horror.

 _I would die._

She would have either been cut down by the man's lightsaber, or crushed beneath his heel by one of the many Force powers that he wielded. The man was a Darth after all.

What chance would she have had if she stood against him?

She looked at Cybelle, the grim realization settling in.

"You say the darkside can give me what I want?"

"It can," the missionary admitted, "If you are strong enough to take what is yours."

"Then how to I get to him?" Keera demanded, "How do I avenge my family?!"

"It will take time," Cybelle admitted, "Only a Sith can kill another Sith in the Empire and get away with it. Right now, you would be considered merely a rebel, and a dangerous one at that. You must be patient, learn the ways of the darkside, give yourself over to them completely, fight your way through your training and impress your masters. The Sith Empire is a meritocracy, girl. You must prove you belong in it, that you belong in the highest ranks of the Sith."

Keera nodded, drinking in the older woman's wisdom.

"You must not be afraid, a Sith knows no fear. You stand alone, with only the Force as your ally. You must learn to sweep away any in your path, if they are weak, then they must be left behind, they are nothing to you. The academies will be a start. If you impress the overseers there, then you will be sent to the High academy on Korriban. It is there that you will be able to garner the attention of the Lords of the Sith, you must dazzle them, impress them, and then be taken as an apprentice by one of them. Once you are an apprentice, what comes next will become clear to you."

"What if my new master doesn't agree," Keera asked, "I know what I want, but what if he or she denies my desires, seeks to block me?"

Cybelle smiled again.

"That is where patience comes in. A Sith cannot survive without a powerbase. You must grow your own while serving your master. He or she may grow jealous, but you must do everything that your master asks. They must not see you as a threat; you must give them no reason to be suspicious of you, not until you are ready to stand among them, not simply as an equal, but as a superior."

"And when that day comes?"

Cybelle laughed lightly.

"On that day, child, you will know what to do, and your master will not be able to deny you, not anymore."

The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

 _To bring a Sith Master to heel, that would be a heady feeling indeed._

"Patience is key," Cybelle repeated, "You must be ready before you strike. Your strength in the Force will draw others to you. The weak, the greedy, the fearful, you will need to learn to yoke their strength. Direct it against those who would oppose you."

Keera considered that.

"So I need to find friends to aid me?"

Cybelle hissed.

 _ **"Friends,"** _she spat, "No, have you learned nothing from what happened to your family, child? Did your father's betrayal at the hands of his "friend" not teach you anything?"

Keera winced.

The woman had a point.

"Friends are a chain that will drag you down, keep you from achieving your true destiny. Your power will be useful in drawing in minions, which are far more valuable than friends. You will grant them a taste your power, like a master offering food to a faithful cur. You will use them, and when they have served their purpose, you will be free to discard them."

Keera thought about that. In truth she had never had many friends. Ro had been a companion because of their fathers' relationship. Her place as an overseer's daughter had meant that she had not had much contact with children her own age, the other parents not wishing to draw attention to themselves, maybe.

Surprisingly enough, Cybelle's advice was not that horrific.

She had never had many friends, except, of course, the boy in her dreams, but that was now over.

She frowned.

Those dreams had been nothing, escapist drivel of a child.

Keera had to be something else now, something hard.

She had to become Sith.

Stay focused on what you desire, girl," Cybelle had said, "Make yourself valuable to the Empire, to the Dark Council, to the Emperor himself if you can."

The missionary placed her hands on the young girl's shoulders.

"Do that, and when the time comes to destroy Darth Feer. No one will lift a finger to stop you."

Keera shuddered, imagining her fingers wrapping around the Sith Lord's throat, of squeezing the life out of him.

She smiled then, not the warm good natured smile of Keera Lylos, but something colder, meaner, and devious.

"I do not want to kill him," she purred, "I want to take away everything he believes in. I want to revel in his defeat, look upon him and see that he realizes that everything he wanted or dreamed of is gone. I want to take his entire world from him, just like his dogs did to me. I want him to wish he was dead, and then, after he had suffered total defeat and humiliation...

Cybelle sighed; she closed her eyes and raised her head, like she was basking in the heat of a fire, perhaps she was…

…Basking in the heat of the girl's anger, the power of the darkside of the Force.

The missionary released her.

"I will tell you when the ship arrives," she promised, "We will need to sneak you to the spaceport, but once in space, you should be safe."

Keera smiled.

"Thank you Missionary Cybelle," she said, "Until we meet again, may the Emperor smile upon you."

The woman gave her a sad smile.

"It is unlikely we will meet again, girl. Soon the Empire will open itself to you; this place will be but a speck of dust beneath your feet."

Cybelle bowed.

"Train well, young Hopeful, "Trust in the Force and in the good graces of our Emperor. May you find your place at his side."

Cybelle had left her then.

Keera was once again alone.

She tried to process the other woman's advice.

A daunting journey lay ahead of her, but it was not impossible, not if she remained strong.

Not if she remained focused on what truly mattered.

Her mission, her survival, and the power that burned inside of her, all those things would be needed if she was to become who she needed to become.

The darkness was not a pit; it was a ladder, a ladder she would need to climb.

…Out of the shadows of this mission and into the very height of the Empire.

She would need to rise, and when she did.

Nothing would stand in her way.

IOI

A few days later, she found herself crammed into a cargo container, being rolled through the Danna City spaceport. The shielding protecting her from being picked up on any lifeform scans, but at the same time muffling any sound that might alert her to trouble.

She tried to remain calm; practicing the meditations she had learned, trying to keep her presence in the Force small, willing herself not to be found.

She could not tell if it was helping, but at least it something to do.

At least it kept her mind off what would happen if she was discovered here.

As far as she knew, no one looking for her, but why take the risk, the imperial mission had arranged to have a body turned over to the Imperials in Orid, it was said to look enough like her that no one would doubt that she was dead.

How they had gotten such a body, she could not say.

She decided it was better not to ask.

All that mattered was that Ro and his father thought she was dead, they were likely the only people who might wish to find her, if they suspected something, but soon it would not matter. In a few moments she would be off-world far from their reach.

Then she could begin to find her destiny.

The container stopped once, she grew nervous when she heard agitated voices outside, she could not really hear what was being said, but it was clear that something was going on.

She clenched her fists, wishing she had a weapon, a blaster, a vibro-blade, anything; even a simple shiv would have been nice.

Anything to keep from feeling so…so…naked.

She tried to remain calm, but her heart was pounding in her chest, thumping in her ears. She waited for the cover on the container to be ripped off, for her to be dragged out into the light.

That did not happen.

The container began to move again, Keera sighed with relief.

She felt a slight bump, like the container was being loaded onto a ramp.

She breathed out, wishing to be out of this thing, wishing she could be out of this stale air.

"We will let you out when we make the jump to hyperspace," the mission's smuggler had informed her.

After that, she would be taken to an imperial mission controlled space station, from there; a shuttle would see her on her way to one of the Sith Academies.

 _From there, whatever happened was up to her._

Despite everything she had endured in the last few weeks she suddenly felt daunted, and perhaps… a little homesick.

Oridanna was all she had ever known; now she was leaving it behind, leaving it for the sake of her desire, a mission of vengeance.

It seemed impossible, challenging a Lord of the Sith, and then finding her place among the highest of the Emperor's servants.

What choice did she have though, none that she could see?

Even from within the crate, she felt the mighty rumble of the ship's engines. They were lifting off, leaving Oridanna behind, leaving her home behind.

Keera sighed.

"So it begins," she thought to herself.

"I'm Keera Lylos, daughter of Andur and Mya Lylos, and I am going to be a Dark Lord of the Sith…

Her eyes narrowed.

"Or I shall die trying."


	6. First Day

**Chapter 6: First Day**

 _Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion I gain strength._

 _Through strength, power. Through power, victory._

 _Through victory, my chains are broken._

 _The Force shall free me._

Keera shivered, and for once it was not from the cold. The Code of the Sith echoed through the large chamber. The Overseer's words seemed to fill the chamber, taking everything else away. The noise outside seemed barely a whisper, a distraction in that moment.

Powerful words, she realized great words.

Words to live by…

…or kill by.

She had only just stepped off the transport, she and the other hopefuls who had found their way here. After leaving Oridanna she had been taken to a small space station, there she had been met by another member of the Imperial mission. That woman had escorted her to another ship, a large transport preparing to leave for her final destination. The journey had taken several hours, but now, at last, she was here. She stepped off the ramp and onto a harsh and inhospitable world. Sleet stung her face while the smell of sulfur made her nose wrinkle. Volcanic mountains ringed a harsh and blasted looking valley. The landing pad stood before a large mountain. Large anti-ship batteries flanked the entrance. Turbo lasers cannons protecting the entrance from any outside attack. The Academy was built inside this mountain, branching out like a hornet's nest. She did not know the name of this planet, or where it was the Empire, all she knew was that it was here that she would begin her training.

It was here that she would start her journey to becoming one of the Sith.

The Sith Academy known only as Fury 9.

She was finally here, and she was not alone.

They were over a hundred strong. Most were human, like herself, but she did see a few aliens among them. Zabrak, Twilek, and a…Gran, she guessed, she had only heard of the three eyed creatures, never seen one in the flesh until now. Not that it mattered any, whatever species they were, they were all here of the same reason, to learn the ways of the Force. Young people from across the Empire. Most were Mission recruited hopefuls like herself. Children looking for a better life, a grander destiny than they ever could have dreamed. To the Imperials that transported them they were something else, something to be dismissed. To those men, they were the dregs of the Empire, its lost ones, the unfortunates, orphans, runaways, and slaves who had shown an affinity towards the Force.

Orphans, Keera thought bitterly, like me.

She shook her head.

Self-pity would not serve her here, she knew what she wanted.

She needed to stay focused on that.

Keera had tried to ignore their words, what did it matter what some lowly imperial had to say? Her origin did not matter, it was her destination that did.

I will not be denied, she thought.

I will not be dismissed.

Upon their arrival, they had been ushered through the entrance by a group of tough looking students, with harsh voices and cruel eyes. Like Keera and her fellows they wore the same dark gray training uniforms, unlike them they wore sashes of red silk, sashes adorned with the symbol of the Empire.

These were the squad leaders, the Overseers eyes and ears, and blades when they had need of one.

Keera found that out later, for now, she allowed herself to be herded along with the others. They were brought before the Academy's two overseers.

It would be these two who would be their teachers or executioners if they failed.

Both were Sith pure bloods, crimson skinned aliens that had originated on the planet Korriban, the only alien race that faced no prejudice within the great Sith Empire. They may have been the same species, but their similarities ended there. The difference between the two was that of night and day.

Overseer Phylon was portly and smug, a being that clearly enjoyed the pleasures of life. His robes were made of fine cloth; his fingers ears and nose were adorned with gold trinkets. It was he who first recited the Sith Code to them, and it would be him that taught them the ways of the Sith, the Force techniques and rituals that would help them rise through the ranks of the order, provided he felt they were worthy of his teachings. Not that he expected much on that front, he assured them. He smiled down on the new crop of students, or hopefuls as they were called. When he spoke, his voice was thick with both sarcasm and arrogance.

"Wondrous," he said in a cultured voice, a voice dripping with venom, "More garbage to burn away.

If his partner shared his beliefs he did not show it.

Overseer Adaz was being of few words, a swordsman of great skill, or so Phylon claimed. It would be his task to teach them the art of Lightsaber combat. He had little to say to the students that had just stepped off the transport; he had little to say period. He preferred to let his actions speak for him, that and his weapon.

Adaz was thin as a whip, and likely just as dangerous. The simple leather vest and breeches he wore were a stark contrast to that of his fellow overseer. His bare arms bore the scars of many battles, burns of both blaster and lightsaber.

The Overseer's eyes narrowed as he regarded his new charges.

"There is not a good blade among you," he said with a sneer, "Most of you will break as you are sharpened. The few that don't…might just amount to something."

Phylon had laughed at that comment.

"If you are looking for praise hopefuls, that is about all you are going to get here. Fury 9's soul goal is to weed out the weak from the strong. Most of you will not survive your time here, and of those of you that do, few will ascend to the rank of Sith Lord."

The portly Sith grinned down at them.

"You are the unwanted ones, your power has made you valuable to us, but that value is limited. Most of you that survive your training will be shunted off into the army. The Imperials are always looking for good assassins and battle-ragers.

The man snorted with amusement.

"You all have the potential to become full Sith, but that will simply not happen. The name Sith Lord is reserved for those of refined skill and the proper bloodline. The hens that make up the Imperial Mission do not understand that, and so once again. Adaz and I are expected to play baby-sitter.

The man's golden eyes narrowed, his expression became fierce, made even more so by the thick ridge of flesh that jutted out like spear points from where his eyebrows should have been.

"You are all worthless and weak," he growled, "You all might as well give up now. We have shovels here if you wish to dig your own graves."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

 _You don't know me, creature,_ she thought bitterly.

 _You do not know what I'm capable of._

"Squad leaders," Adaz barked, "Get this rabble separated, ten per squad as usual. I want you all on the course in ten."

" **Yes, overseer!"** the leaders said in unison.

Adaz grinned.

"Your squad leaders will guide you when we are not available," he informed them, "these are students like yourself, but above you. They have pulled themselves out of the scum, and shown enough promise to continue their training beyond Fury 9. A few of them may eventually find their way to Korriban, if the Force wills it so."

"Some of you will eventually join the squad leader ranks," Phylon added, "What a sad day that will be."

Adaz turned slightly, for the briefest of moments Keera thought he was glaring at his fellow overseer.

 _Dissention between the two,_ she wondered.

 _Interesting._

"You want power, you will have to claim it," Adaz said, "You want to rise in the ranks here; you will have to seize it. Everyone in this room is your rival, do not doubt that."

The blade master crossed his arms over his chest.

"Succeed or perish, Hopefuls, that is your only option."

"Squad leaders," Phylon shouted, "To your duty! Get this rabble out of my sight and on the course. Let the culling begin."

" **YES OVERSEER!"** the ten senior students shouted.

Phylon and Adaz turned away then the two overseers going back into the mountain leaving the new comers in the hands of the squad leaders.

 _Lucky us,_ Keera thought.

Once again, she let herself be herded by the squad leaders, separated into a training group.

From there they were marched outside, back out into the sleet and cold.

The squad leaders took charge, directing them all down a well-worn path, towards what their teachers called the course. The cold wind once again enveloped them.

Keera frowned.

Were they not allowed winter gear, even a heavy coat?

She supposed not.

She took a deep breath and tried to ready herself, tried to gather her emotions about her.

Her first challenge, she realized.

Succeed or perish.

Her journey to vengeance had begun.

IOI

That first trip down the course was nearly the death of her. Its paths rocky and uneven, sleet stung her face, and blinded her. The training clothes she wore were barely warm enough to protect her from the biting cold.

The course, itself, was a three kilometer journey into damnation. Half frozen lakes, volcanic vents belching steam, and volcanic rock walls made of sharp black stone. Ice cracked beneath their feet. Volcanic rock cut their hands and dug into their flesh. After the first kilometer, the paths diverged into four; each squad leader chose one and led their students down it.

"Keep up, worms," her own squad leader shouted, a tall dark haired boy named Bryden. Keera had caught him looking at her when the new arrivals first separated into groups. She could sense his regard, his cold eyes crawling over her body.

She shuddered.

The look in the boy's eyes was not pleasant. He looked at her like she was a meal waiting to be devoured.

She would not give him that chance.

As expected the students struggled over the uneven terrain. Ash covered them as they passed through a valley of steam vents, stinging the throat and leaving them all coughing, all but the squad leader anyway.

Keera stared in awe as he made his way over the path easily. He did not seem cold or in any discomfort. The new students were slowing him down, and he was not happy about it.

"Use the Force, wretches," he snarled, "It can give you both speed and balance. It grants abilities beyond what your worthless bodies are capable of."

"Forward," he spat.

"Keep up!"

Keera glared.

 _We have only just got here,_ she wanted to shout.

 _We have barely begun our training! You expect too much of us!_

Then she remembered Overseer Phylon's words.

Succeed or perish.

Keera held her tongue and pushed forward. She tried to focus on her emotions, to summon their power, the anger and hate inside, the loss of her parents and sisters, the frustration she felt at trying to keep up with the squad leader. She tried to draw power from it, to find the gift she had used back on Oridanna.

She was unsuccessful.

She struggled along with the rest of the hopefuls.

She did not feel any stronger, and the path remained hard, but at least her anger kept her focused.

Keera struggled on.

Succeed or perish.

She needed to keep up.

IOI

The dim sun was dipping behind the mountain when they finally made it back to the academy. Despite the cold they were all soaked with sweat, and covered with ash and grime. Several of the students found a corner and wretched. The smell doing little to improve the sulfur rich air of Fury 9.

Keera was on her knees gasping for breath. A pair of boots stopped before her, she glanced up into Bryden's grinning face.

"Congratulations," he said dryly, "You are among the best of the worst."

Her temper flared.

It took all she could do not lo lunge at the arrogant squad leader.

In that brief moment any exhaustion she felt vanished. Cold power washed through her, taking away her lack of breath and the pain in her bloody hands and twisted ankle.

She found her feet, and glared at the squad leader.

His smirk grew.

"So not just a pretty face after all," he said, "Not that you are very pretty right now, Hopeful. You are dirty and you stink."

She said nothing. She merely held his gaze, wishing for a weapon, any would have done in that moment.

Bryden glanced over her shoulder. Keera turned.

The last of the training groups had arrived back, and not a moment too soon.

Night was quickly falling.

The huge blast doors that protected the academy began to shut.

Keera blinked in surprise. She glanced around. The sight shocked her.

They had been a hundred strong when they first had gone onto the course, now they were fewer. Had she had to guess she would guess that they had lost at two or three from every training group?

She looked at her own squad leader.

"What about those that didn't make it back?" she asked him.

"What about them," he said with a shrug.

His dismissal shocked her.

"Shouldn't we leave the door open for them, to catch up?

Her question had been heard by several of the other squad leaders.

Both they and Bryden laughed.

"The days are short on this rock, Hopeful," he informed her, "at night the temperature drops to at least sixty or seventy below zero."

"If you're not here right now," a female squad leader said, "You won't be alive come morning."

The thought made Keera gasp.

Emperor save us, she thought.

"A true Sith, with the darkside as his ally might survive the night," the squad leader added, "those Hopefuls still out there; I would not give them much of a chance."

The flippancy with which the leaders dismissed their charges death shocked Keera.

"Don't we all have the potential to become Sith," she reminded them, "Is the loss of those students not bad for the empire? Is it not wasteful?"

Bryden chuckled at that.

"Let me guess," he said, "Your parents were in the Imperial military?"

"My father was a soldier," she admitted, "He was a farmer later, but..."

"Where you come from does not matter, Hopeful," the female leader snarled, "You are nothing now, do not forget that."

Keera fell silent.

The anger in the squad leader's voice was as much a threat as anything else, if she kept pushing this…

She might find **herself** pushed outside.

So, she closed her mouth.

She was smart enough to know when to keep he mouth shut.

Everything she had experienced up until now made that point abundantly clear.

"Listen, Farm Girl," Bryden spat, "We are NOT here to coddle you. The overseers are _**not**_ here to coddle you. You wish to survive this place; you look out for yourself and no one else. To fall behind is to be forgotten, to end up frozen along the paths of the course. You will not be mourned or missed, too many in the Empire would welcome the chance to take your place, never forget that."

Keera nodded.

She did not like it, but she accepted it.

"Succeed or perish," she said grimly, "Guess that is the way it is supposed to be."

Bryden grinned at her.

"Exactly, Hopeful," he said stroking her ash stained cheek; his touch was that of a venomous reptile.

She had to resist the urge to slap him.

She stood her ground, accepting her fate, at least for now.

Bryden turned to his fellow squad leader.

"See that Olanna, the worms can learn."

The other squad leader chuckled.

Keera's cheeks burned. Her fists clenched impotently.

Now is not the time, her conscience warned her.

 _Later…be patient._

 _Your time_ _ **will**_ _come._

Bryden stepped back; he called on the Force to strengthen his voice so that all may hear him.

"HOPEFULS! REPORT TO THE DUTY OFFICER FOR ROOM ASSIGNMENTS! THEN HIT THE SHOWERS GET YOURSELVES CLEANED UP AND REPORT TO THE MESS HALL! FOOD WILL BE SERVED IN AN HOUR! IF YOU MISS IT YOU GO HUNGRY!"

The squad leaders grouped up and left their charges. They laughed and joked at the state of the new arrivals. They seemed pleased, amused by the losses that had occurred today.

Keera looked around at the survivors of their first day. She looked at her fellows, those students struggling to find their feet, fighting against the desire to collapse.

The sight made her shudder.

She tried not to think about those poor souls stuck outside, all those Hopefuls that had fallen off the climbing walls or had run too close to a steam vent.

She was not completely beyond compassion; she hoped that they had died quickly.

She had heard that freezing to death was not the worse way to die, but it was not for her.

The blast doors banged shut, any chance for those left beyond them was gone.

Keera felt a cold shiver run down her spine, but also a sense of gratitude.

Better them than me, she thought.

As her anger cooled the aches and pains of the day returned, she limped towards where the duty officer waited, wanting only to get her room assignment, then food, though she was not really hungry.

Succeed or perish, she thought.

…Quite a lesson for her first day.

She sighed.

The first, but not the last.


	7. Two months later

**Chapter 7: Two Months Later**

Training to be a Sith was not what Keera expected.

She had thought it would be like military training, _expected_ that. The Sith were the rulers of the Empire after all, answerable only to the Emperor and the Dark Council. The Moffs and overseers obeyed them and if they did not they answer for it, so she had expected something…more. She expected them to prepare their future leaders better. She had thought there would be a more regimental training for those that were expected to wield so much power.

Strangely that was not the case at all.

This training was nothing like the military.

Her father had told her enough stories about his training to know what to expect if it was. The army did not simply empower you, it molded you, changed you to fit what it needed. They looked to maximize your strength and remove or minimize your weaknesses, and when you emerged, you would be fit to serve where ever your commanders saw fit. You came out ready to fight and or die protecting the man or woman next to you.

Sith training was nothing like that.

It was…to put it simply…confusing as it was ruthless.

There was no real organized training plan on Fury 9, no classes in the traditional sense. Aside from a daily run on _the course_ , a Sith hopeful was granted a surprising amount of freedom. You set your own schedule, and could deviate as you saw fit. You could train as hard or as easily as you desired. The only limit to their study was the one they placed on themselves. Ambition was not only prized, it was encouraged. Laziness was not tolerated however. If you showed no improvement, or desire to improve, you could be either exiled from the academy, or used in a demonstration by one of the masters, demonstrations that usually ended with fatal results for the slothful hopeful. As for the overseers themselves, they held one meeting a day. One hour with Overseer Phylon and one with Overseer Adaz. It was during these meetings, and only during them, when the hopefuls could get true Force training from the masters. Phylon taught force skills, how to lift, push and pull things with the Force. Adaz taught lightsaber training, its forms and tactics, and these meetings were open to all. It was the only time that their teachers joined them in the main training area, the only true place to get to interact with them. If a student wished any one on one time with their teachers, it was possible, but only if you impressed one of the overseers enough to think you were worth their time.

Keera frowned.

So far she had had little luck garnering any attention from the masters. She was just one of many lowly Hopefuls. She had had no luck rediscovering the power she had used the night her family had died. As a result her training had faltered. Phylon despised her…just as he despised all of rest; he saw her being beneath him, dirt beneath his nails. Adaz remained aloof and indifferent. She found no help there. She supposed that could have turned to her squad leader for help, but she felt that might be a bad idea.

Considering how he had looked at her on that first day, and continued to look at her as time went on, she thought it a smart idea not to approach him.

That hungry look in his eyes, it made he uncomfortable and not in a good way, just thinking about it now made her shiver.

She suspected that if she did go to him for help, he would ask something of her, something that she was not prepared to give, at least, not yet…

Unacceptable, she would not do it.

She was not ready to surrender _**that**_ part of herself yet.

So she kept to herself, content to try to make her way here on her own.

It was the best and likely safest, possible choice.

The first week had seen their numbers dwindle quickly. The ten training groups were soon reduced to six, with the last two having two extra students as the numbers no longer allowed for another group. Some of these died on _the course_ , others disappeared, perhaps they had fled, tried to find a way off planet.

"Any Hopeful is welcome to leave at any time," Phylon had chortled when asked about desertion, "Of course, if you do, you need to spend your nights outside, this academy is for Hopefuls."

The rotund alien grinned savagely.

"I'm sure the cold night air will be just delightful."

Keera, not wishing to test that herself, remained silent. If anyone was foolish enough to try and desert, that was their business.

She had her own goals, and they did not involve freezing to death.

The first month had passed quickly enough. When she wasn't in the training rooms she was in the academy library reading. She had hoped to find training manuals among the many books and papers stored here, there were none. What she did find was histories, takes told by great lords of the Empire, their accomplishments and desires. Useless in the grand scheme of things, perhaps, but at the same time provided some insight, words of wisdom from those that had brought the Empire to this part, who carried out their glorious Emperor's will.

Keera read them every night, seeking to absorb even the smallest detail on those pages. It might not have been the same as learning from one of the overseers, but it was learning.

She would stay there for hours, until the lights in the academy begin to dim.

There was no night inside the mountain, no morning either, but it came regardless.

With a weary sigh, she returned to her quarters. Returned and tried to find her rest.

She had no worry of disturbing a roommate. The students all had private rooms, but that was more about safety than comfort.

Having so many students of the dark side under the same roof, was risky business. There were so many powerful emotions raging here, anger and hate chief among them. Rivalries were the norm, so having one's own room with a strong lockable door cut down on…"accidental" deaths among the student population.

It was against the rules to kill a fellow student, or rather _to get caught_ killing a fellow student. Deaths were investigated, but without a witness the masters would usually let such death's pass.

Their duty was to the living not the dead.

You died, you were of no use. You were forgotten, part of the past.

The Empire chose to focus on the now.

At night she would return to her room and lock the door behind her. She would slip out of her training clothes and collapse on the bed. Yet, she did not sleep, she did not want to, in truth she had come to fear it.

Sleep brought no rest, only nightmares.

She fought against, struggling to stay awake, but in the end, that battle always ended in defeat. When she closed her eyes, nightmares were there to greet her. Sometimes she dreamed of being trapped in the farm with her sisters and mother trying to find a way out while everything burned around her. Other times she dreamed that it was _**she**_ that was the enforcer; that _**she**_ had been sent to slay her family, that _**she**_ was the one who plunged a red lightsaber through her father's chest.

That dream was the worst. She could smell the smoke, feel the heat from the fire behind her, when father was impaled she could smell the stench of burning cloth and meat.

She would find herself staring into his eyes, unable to look away. Eyes that had always looked upon her with love now looked with shock and disbelief.

"Blossom," he would murmur, "Why?"

In the dream she would turn off the lightsaber and he would fall…and fall… and fall.

She would wake then, sitting up in bed, barely stifling a scream, her heart pounding in her ears, bile rising in her throat.

She awoke feeling lost, completely and utterly lost.

 _What am I doing here?_ She thought to herself.

 _What was I thinking?_

The icy fingers of fear wrapped around her heart. Panic threatened to overwhelm her.

It took all her self-control to remain where she was, to stay calm, at least on the outside.

Inside her mind, a storm was raging, a storm that would likely never end.

Unable to sleep, unable to escape, she would climb out of bed and kneel on the hard cold floor. She slowed her breathing, and focused on meditation. It was not as restful as sleep, but at least it seemed to keep her going.

She needed that right now.

The morning would bring another day of harsh treatment, and dangerous lessons.

 _I need to do something_ she thought. She needed to advance, so far no one had noticed her weakness, her inability to find what had brought her here in the first place, when they did…

…she did not like to think about what would happen then.

 _I need to do something soon._

IOI

Mornings found her in the mess hall, carrying her tray of food to one of the empty tables. Any exhaustion she might have felt held at bay by her mediations from the night before, that and her will.

She refused to show any weakness.

No one could know how conflicted she was.

She did not fraternize with her fellow hopefuls. She kept her distance. Given their training it was safer not to let someone get too close.

The other hopefuls were many things, but what they would never be was friends.

The students here were not…the most stable of beings. In fact she feared that some were psychotic. She had seen ample enough evidence for that during the group training sessions. For now, she simply sat, sat and listened, during both the training sessions, and during meals. She listened to the plots and tales of the trysts that happened when the lights went out at night, those and promises of death and blood. Alliances among the students formed and fell apart just as quickly. Most of these alliances were meant to protect from the squad leaders or other hopefuls, and all had the potential to end in violence.

The mere realization was enough to make Keera shake her head.

All the more reason to go it alone, she thought.

Far better to be on my own than be dragged down when some idiot ally's plot gets discovered.

She knew how many of the other students saw her; they thought her arrogant, that she felt that she was better than them. Some might have even been plotting to see her removed, viewing her distance as a slight.

I need to be careful, she realized.

Death is never far away in a place like this.

She did not seek to walk eagerly to its embrace.

IOI

"Lock your wrists, Hopeful," Adaz snarled, "Take a blow like that, and you will not need to worry about your opponent, your own blade will end up going through your chest.

Keera nodded and dropped into the ready position, her training saber humming on its lowest possible setting. The training blades used by the Sith Academy where basically glorified stun sticks. Their weight and heft meant to simulate what it would feel like to be holding an actual lightsaber. A strike to a limb on one of the lower settings made said limb go numb for half an hour at least.

At maximum, the blades could kill, the jolt powerful enough to stop a person's heart, that or completely overload their nervous system.

Keera never raised her sword's setting **that** high, there was already enough ways to die here. She did not need her sword to another.

The Overseer grasped her arm and helped her find the proper grip. Once she was ready, he stepped back and watched her, her training saber swished back and forth as she performed the sequence he had just taught them.

Adaz did not leave until he was satisfied she had corrected her mistake. When he was, he nodded, and moved on down the line, correcting the next student who needed his guidance.

Unlike his fellow overseer, Adaz did not shirk his responsibility to his students. As a master of blade combat he took it as point of pride that the students left here able to defend themselves with a lightsaber.

"If you're going to die for the Empire, you at least should die well," he told them, "If it is your destiny to fall in battle, you will damn well know enough to take at least a few Jedi with you."

Keera worked her way through the new sequence of moves and did not stop until she felt completely comfortable with them. When she was confident that she could repeat them, from muscle memory alone, she began to work in the moves she had learned in previous lessons, trying to incorporate them into her own fighting style.

Each sequence gives me more options with a blade, she thought to herself, and each new set of options makes me better.

Or so Overseer Adaz said.

She fell back then, spinning her blade defensively, imagining that she was under fire from enemy blasters.

In combat, such moves would shield her against such an attack. Adaz called it Form III, or Soresu, sometimes called the defender's style.

He thought it would serve her best in her training.

She remembered standing in the training room early in her first month here, Adaz walked around her, watching as she performed the basic faints, parries, and strikes of lightsaber combat. She was a fast learner, and quickly grasped the basics.

Now that he had seen what she could do, he offered her his recommendations if any.

He did that with each student, and when they finished, he informed them what style _**he**_ thought would serve them best in their training. They could ignore him if they chose, but few did.

Adaz was not the type of Sith that you ignored.

"You don't have the size to bully someone on the battlefield, girl," he had told Keera, "Soresu for you, I think. Once you have mastered it, I would suggest studying Shien and Makashi."

The blade master nodded grimly.

"Yes, he said, "I think those three will serve you best."

She had nodded, but still felt a bit confused.

"Soresu is not the most aggressive of forms, overseer," she had said, "I don't see myself besting many enemies with it."

From the look on his face, she thought he was about to yell at her, for daring to question his suggestion, but after a moment, his expression turned thoughtful.

Perhaps he was surprised that she recognized Form III for what it was. Of course, few students spent as much time in the library than her.

One of the first papers she had read there was about lightsaber combat, and its various forms.

Her knowledge impressed him, she felt; at least, she thought it did.

"That is true," he agreed, "But as I said, you do not have the size or the strength to meet an enemy with brute force. Soresu will allow you to weave an almost perfect defense. Your enemy will attack, but find himself blocked by a wall of ruby light."

The blade master smirked.

"Most Jedi and their Republic lap dogs are unprepared for a long fight. They seek to end a battle with a single stroke or a quick blaster shot. You deny them that; you make them play your game. They will start to get frustrated. For a Jedi, that means his grip on the light may flicker, and then…"

Adaz shivered in anticipation.

"In that moment, they are yours, and then all that is left is for you to close in…and make the kill."

Keera considered that, what it meant, at the time she had not fully grasped what he was telling her, now almost two months later, she finally did...

The thought made her smile.

The thought of controlling the battlefield in such a way excited her.

Perhaps her journey was not so pointless after all.

Now as she practiced the newest sequence, working it in with the rest of her move, she felt a sense of surety wash over her.

Usually Adaz had to stay longer with her, helping her get her sequences just right.

Today, he was keeping his distance, watching her, watching her succeed.

It gave her a sense of purpose, she did not wish to mess up. She wanted to show him that he had not wasted his time with her.

She wanted to prove that she was worthy, and she did not care who knew it.

In that moment she let everything go, lost herself in a moment of pure moving mediation, nothing existed but her and the blade; it was part of her arm, part of her. Everything else went away, her fear, her doubt, her exhaustion, it all melted away with the twirling, humming sword, and when it did, something new rushed in to take its place.

Something powerful.

Ten weeks of fear and frustration were burned away in that moment. The insecurities of a farm girl from Oridanna faded, replaced by a new emotion, pure black, inescapable rage, that and white hot hate.

Hate for Darth Feer.

Hate for Ro and his father.

Hate for the people of Oridanna that did nothing but bow down to the man who murdered her family.

Hate for the other Hopefuls, the scum that whispered and plotted behind her back.

Hate for Adaz and Phylon, who did nothing to aid her, to help her join the ranks of the Sith.

And then in that one singular moment, that moment of perfect dark clarity, she found what she was looking for.

Keera Lylos gasped in surprise.

In that moment she finally felt the dark side of the Force for the first time. She did not simply brush against it as she had in the past. No…this was sharper, clearer.

She felt the dark side's call, and this time she did not back away. She let it in, and in that moment, everything changed.

It was…glorious.

Her senses spread out for the first time, it was as if she had been born blind and deaf, and finally had found a way to hear and see. When she opened her eyes, she saw things with crystal clarity. She could feel the dark emotions of her fellow Hopefuls churning around her. She could sense the gentle hum of the rock beneath her, so many had studied the dark side here, it had left its mark, and now, she was a part of it.

It was magnificent.

She brought her blade down and around, imagining the head of Darth Feer being bent before her. The blade came down hard, so hard that it sparked when it touched the stone floor.

Finally, out of breath, but feeling exalted, she paused. She glanced around her; most of her fellow students were watching her.

Had they felt the change? Did they sense that she had finally made the connection she sought?

Did it really matter?

Did they matter anymore?

After two months lost in darkness, her eyes had finally adjusted, she had finally adjusted.

She could finally see.

It was the sweetest relief.

She saw Overseer Adaz staring at her, his had stroking his chin thoughtfully, and that was not all.

She glanced up noticing for the first time the walkways that crisscrossed above the training area. Overseer Phylon was there, he gave her a curious look.

She grinned fiercely at him.

I can sense you now, you arrogant bloat, she thought.

Try saying I'm worthless now.

Phylon said nothing; he nodded, turned, and walked away.

That night, over dinner, she received a letter from him.

He was offering her a chance to train with him, to explore the mysteries of the Force.

She grinned.

Finally, she thought.

Now…it begins.


	8. Lightning and Shadow

**Chapter 8: Lightning and Shadow**

"Hold the attack girl," Overseer Phylon said hungrily, his golden eyes blazing with pleasure.

"Let's see what kind of damage you can do."

Keera nodded and continued, a blue and lavender corona encircling her face. Her brow furrowed with concentration, as she light bit her lower lip.

Such power, she thought, such wondrous power!

She grinned brightly.

And it was all hers! _**All HERS!**_

She almost laughed.

 _If only her parents could see her now!_

She stood before a training dummy in Master Phylon's private training room, her left hand outstretched, as she let the Force sing through her.

Blue-violet lightning leaped from her fingertips, five slender bolts slammed into the target, causing it to rock back with each new salvo. Each small turn of her fingers brought a fresh blast of lightning and sent it into her target.

"Yes girl," Overseer Phylon crowed, "Use your aggressive feelings, let the rage burn, **let the hate flow through you!"**

Inspire by his encouragement she raised her right hand, she thought of all that she had endured these last few months. The pain and the loss, the faces of her family flickered through her mind, and with it, a fresh wave of rage.

She snarled like a wild beast, a creature of the dark side finally set free!

Lightning flew from her right hand, its fury almost a match for the power she had already summoned, it struck the dummy in the chest; the metal glowed from the heat of her anger, her fury given physical form.

It was amazing, exquisite, intoxicating!

 **The power of the dark side!**

If this was only her first true lesson.

What else was she capable of?

Did she have limits; did the power of the Force have limits?

She did not think so.

As she continued to blast away, Phylon's words to her faded, lost in the crackling power of the lightning, the hum of raw, pure power!

Limitless power, she thought... _ **unlimited**_ power…

…All for me.

She almost laughed at the thought.

It is _**ALL**_ for me!

IOI

She had been understandably nervous about her session with Overseer Phylon. Fury 9's Force instructor had barely given her the time of day during her first few weeks. In the rotund pure-bloods eyes was just another random hopeful; a nobody with just enough Force potential that she might be able to do some good for the Empire.

His invitation suggested that she had become something more.

Tread lightly, her conscience warned, Rumors around the academy said that the Overseer had…unseemly appetites.

The warnings her mother had given her over the years came back, warning her about powerful men who did not take no for an answer.

It was enough to make her hesitate as she stood outside of his chambers, wondering if he had some other motive than improving her skills with the Force.

 _Stop it,_ a voice inside her head said coldly, _you have nothing to be afraid of, reach out with your emotions if you don't believe that, reach out, try to sense the master's intent._

She did just that, finding Phylon's presence in the Force quite easily. It was quite dark, no surprise there, but there was more as well. She sensed boredom it radiated off him like the waves of a star. She could also sense his frustration; clearly this posting was not to his liking. She could only imagine what must have happened for him to be given such a post. From what she was now feeling through the Force, she guessed that it had not been his choice, not that that came as such a big surprise.

It seemed that the Hopefuls here were not the only ones forced to endure this place. The Overseer shared their dislike, their…distaste with it.

She took mental note of those feelings.

They might come in handy later on.

The ease with how she had done that shocked her. For weeks she had fought with herself, trying to will herself to hold onto her anger, to let it fuel her power. She had managed it for a while, but as soon as she had tasted success, the joy at her victory drove that strength away, and she was left empty again, left struggling with the rest of the weaker Hopefuls.

It had been frustrating; she had no idea what she was doing wrong!

Even now a small part of her feared that if she breathed wrong, or turned her head just so, the power would slip away; leaving her was nothing with only the sensation of how great she might be.

A foolish notion, she thought, a child's fear…

…and she could no longer afford to be a child.

The dark side, she realized now, was everywhere, it was in everything, even the brightest of lights could not eclipse it. All she had to do was close her eyes and reach out, and…she would find it. The dark, passion given form, it was always there, surrounding her and binding her together.

It was always there.

It had _**always**_ been there.

It had not been necessary to struggle. All she needed to do was let go, and the power would come. Everything that she had learned about the world, from both her parents and her teachers back home had been wrong, the so-called wisdom that they had given her had been what was limiting her; it had been chains that had bound her. Only the Force could set her free.

 _Through victory, my chains are broken._

Her parents had _**not**_ understood, she realized…

….or had they?

Keera frowned.

What if they _**had**_ known, what if everything that they had tried to teach her was to keep her from realizing her full potential.

Why? Why would they do that?

A scowl darkened her features. Her mind raced, conclusions came quickly, and they did not please her.

They were _**jealous.**_ Yes, that was what had been going on!

Her father had been _nothing_ , a peon in the Imperial Army, he was _**nothing**_ compared to what she could become!

He _had_ been _**jealous!**_

 _He had been holding_ _ **her**_ _back! All these years he wanted her to accept an ordinary life, marry and have children, like he had done._

It had all been a trap, she could see that now.

Yes.

Father **had** been jealous!

He **had** been holding her back! Why had she not seen all this before! It was simple. It was all so clear. He had sought to deny her what was hers, she _**hated**_ him for that, she…

She…

She blinked.

 _I love you Blossom._

Keera shook her head.

 _What?_

She blinked again; her head was muzzy, feeling like she had just woken from some terrible dream.

She paused, considering what she had been thinking…it **appalled** her.

Where had **that** come from?

Hate?

She didn't **hate** her father!

She _loved_ her father. She loved her family. She was doing this all for them, to give them justice, to avenge them!

Wasn't she?

The door to the overseer's chamber hissed open. She jumped; she had been so lost within herself that she had forgotten where she was.

Focus, she reminded herself.

 _ **This**_ _is the path to power._

 _Don't screw it up._

She took a deep breath and centered herself.

"Enter Hopeful," Overseer Phylon called out.

"It is time to see what you are made of."

She obeyed, trying not to think of the dark thoughts that had invaded her mind.

I don't hate my father, she thought.

I loved him. I still love him.

Why else did I agree to come here?

It may have made her sound like a sentimental romantic fool, but she was still capable of love, believed in its power, perhaps a power as great as the dark side itself.

This is not about hate, it is about love…

…And love will conquer all.

IOI

She stood before her teacher as he sat at his desk, reading from a data pad. She stood at parade rest, as she had seen her father do so many times, with her hands behind her back. She did her best to keep her features neutral, her blue eyes focused front.

The overseer's quarters were not what she had expected.

Everywhere she looked were signs of wealth.

She had never seen anything like it.

The room itself was three times the size of that used by the students. Fine tapestries and artwork dotted the walls. A bed large enough for three covered almost the far back wall. To the right of the overseer's desk was a sealed bookcase, its shelf filled with actual paper tomes. That and something more…!

Keera blinked.

A small crystal pyramid had a shelf all its own. She had never seen one before, but knew what it was from her readings in the library.

A Sith holocron!

Her newly awakened senses reached out for the crystal artifact. Holocrons were known to contain many of the Sith's ancient secrets. When active, it was said that they could teach as good as any flesh and blood master.

Her mouth suddenly felt dry, a wave of greed washed over her.

What she wouldn't give for a chance to sit with such a device, even if it was only for a few minutes. The secrets it must contain…

Incredible.

"Hopeful?"

Keera blinked.

She had gotten sidetracked, again.

She cursed herself.

"Yes, overseer," she said.

Phylon chuckled.

"Admiring my collection," he said gesturing around him, "Wealth is only one of the rewards of the dark side."

His smile turned shark-like.

"It is good, but it is a small substitute for real power, would you not agree?"

"Of course, Overseer," Keera said nodding.

In truth, the wealth she had seen around her had been secondary, a distraction from what was truly important.

What secrets did Phylon's books contain? What could the holocron offer a young student of the Force?

So many possibilities she thought.

What did wealth matter compared to that?

He kept her waiting then, continuing to read from the data pad in front of him. Keera remained still, almost statue-like.

It did not take Force sensitivity to know what was going on here.

The master was playing a power game; he wanted her to wait, wanted her to get angry at being summoned and then have to wait. She would not fall for it.

His time is my time, she realized. She would wait as long as it took; whatever he had to show her was worth it.

She could deal with a little frustration.

"I've been going through your Imperial Mission file, girl," he finally said lowering the pad, "An interesting tale to be sure."

Keera said nothing. In truth, she had not even realized that the Mission had created a file on her; she had only been in their custody several days.

"According to the Mission," Phylon continued, "You showed a strong affinity to the Force even before coming here. Hunches that always seemed to pay off, acrobatic skill beyond what might be considered normal."

Keera frowned.

She had never spoken with Missionary Cybelle about any of that, not in detail anyway.

How could such information be in her file?

"Let us see now," the Overseer purred, "Daughter of an Overseer on some backwater. You were likely taught some military discipline, I suppose. Family slain by brigands, while you watched, no remaining blood ties in the galaxy."

Keera winced, but at the same time recognized that the last part was untrue.

Beric was still alive. Her older brother might have been estranged from their family, but he still lived, or at least she thought he did.

The fact that Phylon had not mentioned him was a good sign.

If no one knew about him, then perhaps he was safe; Darth Feer would not be that thorough would he?

Hunting down some lowly officer in the navy? Such an act was hardly worth the time of a Lord of the Sith.

At least…she hoped it was.

"It also says here that when threatened with death, in a moment of extreme emotion, you conjured a death field, an extremely powerful Sith discipline, and you did it with no training, that you used it to kill over a dozen people. Is this also true?"

Keera could hear the skepticism in the man's voice, in this, however she was on safe ground. Phylon respected power.

Surely he would respect what she had done.

"It is true, Overseer," she said grinning, "I crushed my enemies."

The pure blood frowned; she felt a sudden surge of disgust.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, girl," he spat, "You did not crush your enemies, the Force did. What you did that day was not the actions of a Sith, it was the reaction of a desperate animal. A creature caught in a trap trying to claw its way out."

He shook his head.

"A Sith must always be in command of his or her abilities. What you did in desperation is of no interest to me, it shows your potential, but that is it."

He glared at her.

"You might as well be a common battle rager. At least in their ranks you could justify such a loss of control."

Keera's cheeks burned. She felt intense shame, though she did not really understand why.

Her dislike for the Overseer grew.

You were not there, she wanted to snarl.

How dare you judge me!

In spite of her rage, she remained silent…

Unfortunately, he was not wrong.

Could she summon such power again?

She doubted that, not right now anyway, with more training perhaps, but not now.

Her survival that night had been as much about luck at it had been about of her abilities.

If she could not control her power, she had no place here, but wasn't that why she was here, to learn?

He wants you to be angry, she realized, do not give him the satisfaction.

Feed his ego, you need his knowledge, his wisdom…

…for now.

She took a deep breath, and regained her focus.

She bowed her head humbly.

"You are not wrong, Overseer," she said.

Phylon snorted with amusement.

"I'm so pleased you agree," he said dryly.

Keera did not take offense; she would not rise to that bait.

She gave him a sheepish smile.

"I have so much to learn," she said, "But under your superior tutelage, I'm certain that I will not fail."

His brow furrowed, perhaps trying to detect some trickery in her words, or perhaps some form of arrogant mocking. Finding none, he accepted them; at least it seemed he did.

The pure blood snorted again, this time with amusement.

"Humility is not the way of a Sith, girl," he reminded her, "Yet in a Hopeful, it is required if you wish to reach your full potential."

He grinned.

"Treat your superiors with the proper respect and you will go far, I promise.

She smiled again, trying to mask her emotions.

She had no desire to have him figure out how she truly felt.

He has use, her conscience chided.

Focus on that that.

His smile sickened her, but she did her best to hide her dislike, her disgust with the arrogant bloat.

You have what I need, she thought.

I'm not afraid to flatter your ego if it gets me what I want.

Phylon put down the data pad, he rose, the chair groaned as he shifted his weight to his feet.

"Adaz seems to think you have potential," the rotund Sith said, "That perhaps you are more than the typical refuse the Imperial mission sends us. One of the few gems we find from time to time among the garbage. Adaz believes that you may be worthy of being placed on the command track, and that you desire to train to be a Sith Lord."

He stroked his chin, as he evaluated her.

"This academy is not for training future Sith Lords," he informed her, "To be a lord in the Empire requires not only strength in the Force, but the right connections and proper breeding. This place is where the empire sorts its refuse; we train shadows and cannon fodder here."

Keera tried not to show and emotion, mainly disappointment.

"So my path is hopeless," she asked.

"Difficult," he clarified, " _ **Not**_ hopeless, but very difficult. Occasionally, lords **have** risen from the Fury Academies. Those lords had to fight twice as hard as any other hopeful. They became Acolytes and graduated from here, and found themselves assigned to one of the higher level academies. _Lord's Reach_ or _Butcher's Clearing;_ they were forced to compete with the elite of the empire, children of men and women who were born into both wealth and the purity of Sith blood. Those lucky enough to survive ended up being sent to the high academy on Korriban. Only there can you gain the attention of a true Sith Lord, earn your place as a Sith apprentice. Only in that place can someone like you find the goal you seek."

Keera nodded.

At least now she knew what she was shooting for, the path she would need to walk to reach her destination.

It would be difficult, but so what?

What path to greatness wasn't?

Phylon fixed her with a harsh stare.

"Could you do that, Hopeful," he asked, "Could you fight twice as hard as any of the other rabble here?"

Keera nodded gamely.

"Set me loose, My Lord," she said hungrily, "Unleash me on the others. I will show you what I'm capable of."

Phylon chuckled.

"You have fire I give you that. Perhaps Adaz and I are wasting our time with you, perhaps we are not. Only time and your performance will tell."

He turned gesturing for her to follow.

"Come with me, Hopeful. It is time to see what you can do."

She followed him…

…Eager to see what he had in mind.

IOI

Lightning crackled around her as she continued her assault on the target.

"If you were able to manipulate the energies of a death field with no training, girl," the Overseer had said at the beginning of the lesson, "then perhaps other energy based skills will come easy for you."

Phylon raised his hand, A powerful bolt of Sith lightning arced from his fingers, bolts that seared into a burned and melted target.

Keera watched with a mix of awe and hunger.

The Overseer smirked.

"Force lightning is one of the most basic energy based attacks a Sith can use. In the hand of a true master it can be devastating, but at the same time you need to be careful. Such power can consume the user as easily as it does the intended victim."

He had stepped aside them, gesturing toward the training dummy.

"Let us see what you can do, girl," he said, "Let us see what kind of power you can conjure, what you can do when you desire it."

Keera took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"What do I do, master?" she asked.

Phylon smirked.

"Focus on your hate," he advised, "The heat of it, the burning rage within. Let it flow into your arm. Corrupt the air around you and produce a lethal storm."

Keera frowned.

It seemed simple enough, but she doubted that that was all there was to it.

She raised her hand, trying to draw her anger into her fingers, to unleash her fury on the unsuspecting target.

In that first attempt, there had been no lightning, only a few sparks.

She gritted her teeth and tried again.

She would not be denied.

By the end of the first hour, she managed to conjure several small bolts of lightning, gentle zaps that did little damage. The training should have ended there, but Phylon had let her continue, curious what he had unleashed within her.

By the end of the second hour, a steady stream of lightning flashed from her hands. The smell of ozone and melting metal filled the room.

Phylon nodded. Clearly he was pleased with her performance, or at least found it accepted.

She certainly did.

"You may stop now, Hopeful," he said, "I've seen enough."

She obeyed without a complaint, a confident smile on her face.

She turned to the Overseer, his expression was guarded.

"Not bad for a beginner," he said, "there is room for improvement."

Praise, she thought, and another rebuke.

She decided to ignore the latter.

Keera nodded, she dropped to one knee, bowing her head in submission.

"Thank you, my lord. You have honored me with your wisdom."

Again the pure-blood chuckled.

"Arise," he said, "You are going to give me a swelled head, child."

Keera smiled but kept her head bowed.

 _Your head could not get any more swelled if it tried,_ she thought.

 _You gave me what I wanted, the next piece of the puzzle, the next step in reaching my full potential._

That was all that mattered.

"Our time is done here," he said, "Return to your quarters, I'm sure you have much to do tomorrow."

"Yes Overseer."

Keera turned to leave.

"Hopeful?"

"Yes, Overseer?"

"What was going through your mind during the final moments of our lesson? What thought gave you the power you needed to prove yourself to me?"

Keera turned; her smile remained polite and submissive.

Her thoughts were anything, but…

 _She thought of_ _ **him**_ _as her target. She thought of the day when he had nothing left to teach her. She thought of the day she could pay him back for his coldness and arrogance. She imagined him writhing in agony as her lightning encircled him, the gold on his fingers and ears glowing from the heat. She imagined the pleasure of watching him fall as her lightning cooked him like a harvest day roast._

What a day that would be, she thought.

 _What a_ _ **glorious**_ _day._

"I was thinking of _you_ , Overseer," she said to him, "Of earning your respect, and finally being able to thank you for all your wisdom."

Phylon smiled proudly.

"You have taken the first step into a larger world. Stay this course, and you may just find what you are seeking."

"Yes, Overseer," she said bowing, low and respectful.

He nodded and gestured for her to leave.

"You're dismissed."


	9. Obey Me

**Chapter 9: Obey Me**

Their training continued, and as it did, the number of students at Fury 9 continued to dwindle.

Squad leaders graduated to the next stage of their training, being sent off as first level acolytes. Students with a talent for secrecy and deception were reassigned to the intelligence academies, their skills would serve them well there. Those who possessed a talent for violence and unchecked rage were sent off to army camps. They would study under the Siths' army of battle-ragers, their fury a fiery blade at the heart of the Empire's enemies.

After five months of training, Keera found herself among a group of twenty hopefuls, the best of those who had arrived with her. These students had showed enough promise to be considered for the command track, those who would serve as Fury 9's next group of Squad Leaders and from there be sent off as first level acolytes.

These were the most powerful of academy's Hopefuls. They had learned to embrace their emotions, but also to make contacts necessary to advance their goals. The training groups were disbanded, and a new paradigm was formed. The students split down the middle half supporting Phylon, the other supporting Adaz. These Hopefuls had become the favorites of the two Overseers; the ones that they had decided deserved to succeed.

As expected, the rivalry among the remaining students intensified. Intrigue became the order of the day as the remaining few plotted the next step in their advancement. Keera was but one such student, a loyalist to Overseer Adaz, she had also become a skilled tactician and talented duelist.

She also learned quickly not to leave her training blade behind, even when she was out running _the course_. One day, one of the students, a Zabrak, murdered one of his human fellows in the hall. She didn't know why, but had been their when it happened; he had just walked up on the other student, drew his blade and cut him down. The alien had gone mad, some said, that his treatment by his fellows had finally pushed him into insanity. Regardless he killed his rival while the hall was packed with witnesses, a clear breach of academy rules. He might have killed others had Adaz not heard the alarm and intervened. The Zabrak, she had never gotten to know his name, had been skilled, Keera could see that by the way he fought. However he had been no match for their teacher, or his lightsaber. He did not last three strokes when forced to face their sword master. Adaz cut him down without breaking a sweat.

"A waste." The pureblood had said after having struck the man down, "such rage could have served the Empire well."

Keera came in close, she had seen what had happened, though had kept her distance, not wishing to draw the killer's ire.

Master Adaz had been right, of course, the Zabrak would have made a fine battle-rager.

 _A shame_ she thought, _the young man_ _ **could**_ _have been useful._

It was then that the blade master suggested to all present that none leave their room without their blades, just in case.

Keera took that advice to heart, but then again, anything Adaz said had become golden to her by that point.

Adaz favored her greatly, he doted on her above all others, recognizing the hate and desire for revenge that burned within in her; he approved of that drive, and did everything he could to feed her thirst for revenge, and her hunger for power. He trained her harder than the others, often taking her aside for private lessons, sharpening her into a warrior that anyone in the Empire would fear. Yet, at the same time, she had little trouble drawing the attention Phylon. She may not have been one of his favorites, but that did not mean that he didn't see her growing skill and power.

Nothing succeeded like success in the Empire. The rise of students like Keera Lylos reflected favorably upon their mentors. An overseer that became known for training potential Sith Masters might just find _himself_ rising in rank, perhaps even taking over one of the cherished spots of Overseer of the Sith Academy on Korriban.

For that reason, Phylon continued to tutor her. Realizing her skill in energy manipulation, he began training her in the art of Sith Sorcery. To waken nightmares in her enemies, nightmares that could drive a sentient being mad, and that was only one of the more basic of spells. He also taught her how to draw energy from other living beings, to heal herself from the life force of any fool unfortunate enough to try and oppose her.

The dark side was weak in the healing art, which was known, but taking life from another…

That was a specialty of the Sith.

Keera consumed those lessons like a Gamorrean trooper at a feeding trough. Eagerly returning to her room each night with a new sheet of flimsy, often she would stay up all night, trying to absorb every kernel of information on those pages. It seemed that she did not need sleep anymore, she was feeding off the Force so heavily now, an hour or two of mediation was often enough to keep her mind fresh and alert. Nightmares remained a problem for her, but so far, she had been able to ignore them, and remain focused on her training. What did sleep matter in the face of gathering more power? Of course, she tended to be quicker to anger when she went a few days without sleep; it might have fed her powers, but still…

Her fellows had quickly learned to avoid her when she entered the mess hall with a haggard look, and it was not simply bags under her eyes either. In the last few months her tanned farmer's skin had begun to grow paler and paler. Sometimes she feared that she might be falling ill, that she might be pushing herself too hard.

 _Yet, I feel fine,_ she thought, _she had never felt_ _ **stronger!**_

She dismissed it.

 _So I'm turning pale, big deal. All that matters is that my power continues to grow._

She needed to grow stronger, and continue impressing the Overseers.

That was _**all**_ that mattered, and the quickest way to do that was to master all that they had to teach her.

Adaz's training and Phylon's spells were a step in the right direction.

Many of the spells that Phylon taught her gave her pause, others _terrified_ her; the risk of using them…it could be as dangerous to her as her would-be victims. And these were still only _low level_ spells; she could only imagine what secrets awaited her in the libraries on Korriban. Spells and rituals that were beyond anything she could imagine. Regardless of her fear, she studied each one, each of the lessons she had been given, did her best to master them, the theory of them anyway. Even if she never used such power, knowing such secrets, having such power in her arsenal, being able to draw on it in her hour of need would be important.

It might even save her life one day, or end the lives of others, those who blocked her path.

She smiled slightly at the thought.

 _It was a most pleasing thought to be sure._

As her knowledge grew, so grew her power. When she walked down the near empty halls of the academy, she was constantly assaulted by her fellow Hopefuls' emotions. Many envied her now; she could almost smell it, like the scent of some spicy dish. The attention she was able to draw so easily from the masters, drew much resentment. Some students feared her, what she might do if they dared try and oppose her. Most had seen her skill with a blade. Adaz often had her battle fellow students. If for no other reason to show them what training one on one with him could grant a student. Her place as Adaz' star pupil protected her from any plots her rivals might have been hatching, at least for now, none wanted to risk the pure blood blade master's wrath.

It was a shield of sorts, not that she needed it, she had studied hard, she might not have been the best among the students here, but she was close, and growing closer. It was likely only the squad leaders who could match her skill now.

Still, she remained on her guard. So far, she had not needed to kill any of her fellows... Part of her took a degree of pride in that. Those who remained in Fury 9 now were all useful weapons for the Empire.

She had no desire to break such a weapon, not without cause.

So, she continued her studies, continued and remained on guard against envious rivals.

The challenge of it, it brought out something in her that she had never known was there.

She never felt so alive! So powerful!

It was a heady sensation!

Keera reveled in her success.

Of course, it was not all fun and games.

One stumbling block remained in her path, one that she had not yet figured out how to remove.

That stumbling block had a name…Bryden.

 _Bryden,_ she thought, her once gentle blue eyes now icy with barely controlled hate.

 _What was she going to do about that fool!_

While most of the other squad leaders had moved on, Bryden stayed where he was. She had heard rumors that he had been offered a command of his own in the army, a chance to lead and train a squad of battle-ragers.

It might not have been an appointment to Korriban, but that did not mean that it was not a plum assignment. Success on the battlefield could easily be used to gain one of the dark lords' attention. It may not have been the most direct path to lordship, but it was a possibility.

According to rumor, Bryden had turned down the opportunity. Why? She could not say.

All she knew was that the boy remained, that and the impressions she got from him through the Force.

They did not please her.

He had been interested in her since the first day she had arrived. She had not needed the Force to know that, over the months that she had been here, that interest had grown. She did her best to avoid him, but that only seemed to entice him further.

What had started as interest had grown into full-blown obsession! It washed over her like water from a sewer pipe, leaving her feeling dirty and sickened. Keeping her distance was becoming harder and harder. Fewer students meant that she had fewer shields to distract her former Squad Leader.

 _What are you waiting for,_ a dark voice inside her spoke up; _you know what you must do._

 _If he will not stand aside…he must be removed._

She frowned.

 _It was the only way._

Her eyes narrowed grimly.

Bryden was a great crony of Overseer Phylon, from the way the fat fool talked, Bryden was Exar Kun reborn.

Any attempt to remove him might distract the Force master from giving her what she desired.

She had no wish to see him distracted.

So, she endured Bryden, for now.

Soon, she thought, I must do something soon.

Be patient, the dark voice inside her said.

Your chance will come.

IOI

A few days later she had been in the training room, sparing with Tul Leem, the Gran apprentice. Their blades flashing, even on the lower setting the air was electric with battle.

Keera was grinning widely, enjoying not only the combat but the anger and frustration of her opponent.

The fight was actually quite challenging.

It left her feeling giddy even as she drew her opponent ever and ever closer to making an error.

She was pleased.

She had started to fear she had surpassed the others here.

The Gran proved otherwise.

The alien's fighting style was far more aggressive than hers, but unlike many of her previous opponents he did not let her defenses rattle him, he kept his anger on a tight leash, wise of him. He simply continued to move forward, pressing the attack, trying to wear her down.

A good plan, but Soresu was not a style that you became exhausted easily by, she could have kept her defense going for quite a while. Tul Leem however…

…his attacks _**were**_ starting to exhaust him.

Keera did not have to wait too much longer.

All it took was one mistake and…

 **ZAP!**

The gran yelped his training blade fell from his nerveless hand; the shock of Keera's training blade had temporarily paralyzed his arm. Had they been fighting with actual lightsabers, he would have lost that arm.

Of course the battle was not over yet, even disarmed, gripping his wounded arm; he glared defiantly at her, all three eye stalks on his head directed straight at her.

She held her ground. She would not be intimidated.

Finally, he dropped to his knees, and tilted his head, offered her a chance to strike his neck. The signal of surrender, he had yielded to her.

Keera grinned savagely.

In battle, had an enemy done this, they likely would have taken his head off, here; it was expected to at least consider the possibility of mercy.

Today, she decided to show just that.

She lowered her blade.

"Well done, Tul," she said offering a slight bow.

"You fought well."

The alien glared at her.

"Cease to exist, human," he bleated, yet there was little heat in his words. She sensed his pain, but also a sense of growing respect, respect directed at her.

Tul, one of the older students here, had been a warrior before finding his way into the Empire, he had deserted the Republic army during the war, or so the story went. He had then turned mercenary, never really realizing that his gift for predicting enemy movements was more than mere intuition.

The Jedi had never found him, or they might have tried recruiting him into their thrice hated order. He had been caught, eventually, and sent to a Republic prison moon. At least until the Sith attacked it, attacked and liberated the Sith troopers who had been held captive. Someone there had noticed Tul's Force sensitivity, and brought him back with them, finally, after serving as cannon fodder for the last few years he had finally been sent here.

This of course, brought them to present day.

Tul was a fighter, a warrior like herself and Overseer Adaz; he welcomed the challenge of a skilled opponent. Keera's victory had been hard fought, and even he could not deny what she had done.

He staggered to his feet, meeting her even gaze with his own.

"Next time," he promised, "I will crush you."

"We will see," she said bowing again, but still keeping her eyes on him,

"I look forward to it.

He returned the bow and went off to see his arm tended to.

The fight had revealed to Keera something she had always suspected, the Empire's bias against aliens was as unfounded as it was unfair. The darkside did not care what species you were, along as you had strong passion in your heart, or hearts as the case may be.

Personally, she had never had a problem with aliens. There had been few on Oridanna, but she had interacted with them the way she had interacted with any stranger.

She had said as much to Adaz suggesting that the Empire **should** in fact use more alien recruits.

"They could be sent into the Republic fringe worlds," she had said, "if their outer planets are anything like the world where I grew up, those people will have had little interaction with either Jedi or Sith. Everyone knows that the Empire doesn't use aliens, those agents could move almost undetected until it was too late. We could use them to sow fear and distrust of the Jedi, make it look like they are turning against the Republic. Who knows…we might just win a few allies."

Adaz had chuckled at that.

"An interesting thought, Hopeful," he agreed. "I think you are either going to end up being a great servant of the Empire, or annoyance to those in power. Only time will tell."

Keera decided to take that as compliment.

As she looked around for another student to spar with, Overseer Phylon made his way inside.

"Hopefuls," he called out loudly, "Lower you blades and gather round."

As one the students obeyed, they made their way over to where their master stood awaiting his next instructions.

"It is pleasing to see your training progressing so," the rotund overseer said in his usual condescending voice. "But it is time to shake things up a bit, I think."

He grinned widely.

"I think it is time to play another round of… _obey me."_

Keera resisted the urge to roll her eyes, even while a shudder ran down her spine.

 _Obey me,_ she thought angrily.

How wonderful!

To the unenlightened, it would have sounded innocent enough, perhaps some party game. In truth, Obey Me was an exercise in degradation.

 _Obey Me_ was meant to train Hopefuls in Force Persuasion. A student would face another and attempt to use the Force to make them perform certain…acts. If you failed, the one you were trying to manipulate had the right to punish you. Like all things with the Sith, success was rewarded, and failure punished. What the act entailed depended entirely upon the Hopeful, and could be as embarrassing or degrading as they wished it to be.

 _Keera_ _ **despised**_ _the game._

Early in her training, she had become aware that she had little or no talent for Force persuasion. No matter how hard she tried, she simply could not gather enough power to influence the mind of another, no matter how weak their will. At first she had figured the students here were too strong for such manipulation, but after seeing the Squad Leaders perform so effortlessly. She realized that it had nothing to do with them.

It was her…and that weakness, that crack in her armor annoyed her.

She had spoken with Overseer Phylon about it, wondering if there was anything that could be done. His words were not encouraging.

"Your ability to manipulate energy is beyond that of your fellow students," he reminded her, "No matter how hard they train they would never be able to match your power in this."

He gave her an oily smile.

"That is their limitation, yours, clearly is Force Persuasion."

"Then I'm vulnerable," she had complained, "If the Force has not granted me that gift then…"

"Then you must compensate with what the Force _**has**_ given you."

His smile turned predatory.

"So you cannot convince the rabble to do menial tasks, so what? Force lightning, your spells, even a lightsaber can be equally as persuasive, if used effectively."

Keera considered that, and…finally smiled.

He did have a point.

Now as she formed up with others for the game, she began the mental exercises necessary to shield herself from the persuasive power of her fellows. Though not weak-minded herself, she had been unprepared for the game the first time they had played four month ago.

Bryden had embarrassed her that day, _**badly.**_

He had volunteered to be her partner, had promised to take it easy on her. She had still been naïve at that point, and had underestimated his desire to dominate her.

She had paid the price.

She remembered forming up beside him, thinking she was ready for anything.

The next thing she knew she was in his arms, kissing him passionately.

" _Greet me, as you would a lover,_ he had purred, _"Show me your favor."_

Through the Force she had been compelled to do just that.

Her own strength had reasserted itself mid-kiss. His mouth clamped over hers, his tongue in her mouth, his hands crawling over her body like a Hutt grasping at credits.

She had pushed him away, glaring angrily.

Bryden and the rest of the students had laughed how easily she had been compelled.

For Keera it felt like a violation, like he had stolen something precious from her.

Her first kiss has been stolen by this…this Hutt spawn!

She had been furious!

Since then she had worked to shield her mind against any such attempts. Working her mental shield until it was as strong as her saber defense. Today she realized she would need it.

Once again she stood across for Bryden; he had a hungry smile on his cruel face.

Clearly, he expected to embarrass her again.

"We meet again," he said with a smirk, "have you missed me, darling."

"Drop dead," she spat.

He chuckled.

He raised his hand.

She imagined a wall between them, a durasteel sound proof wall. A wall bound with the power of the dark side itself.

She would not be compelled.

Around her the other students faced similar challenges. Most resisted, the weak willed had been mostly culled from their ranks by now, a few obeyed without complaint. These would likely find themselves culled on the morrow, sent off to intelligence or the army.

She did not intend to be one of them.

She glared at Bryden.

 _Take your best shot, darling,_ she thought.

 _I'm ready this time._

He waved his hand before her.

"Take off your clothes," he said, "I wish to see you in all your glory."

A wave of dark side energy washed over her, it left her breathless, for a moment at least.

She felt a slight desire to start taking off her tunic, her hands moving to her top, but she resisted, Bryden was strong, there was no doubt of that…

She shuddered, willing her fingers to move away from her shirt.

"No," she said coldly.

"I don't think so."

He glared angrily at her. Surprised by her resistance, of all the students here, he seemed the least willing to accept that she had changed, grown.

That was is mistake, and he would regret it.

He moved his hand in front of her again.

"You want to kiss me," he commanded, "I am everything you have ever wanted!"

His failed first attempt only fueled her anger; it burned away any sense of wanting to obey him.

Her hands clenched into fists.

 _Everything she had_ _ **ever**_ _wanted,_ that is what he said.

She sneered.

 _All she wanted now was power, and to see Lord Darth Feer suffer for what his agents had done to her family._

She shuddered.

Darth Feer was far away, but at least she could take her aggression out on another person she had grown to hate.

There was catharsis in that.

And took a step towards Bryden, he grinned expecting her to fall into his arms as she had done during their first encounter.

He also let down his guard, his own Force defenses lowering.

She smiled.

 _Foolish of you,_ she thought, raising her own hand...

… _Very foolish._

She had not given him any time to resist.

Lightning blasted from her fingers, the squad leader flew back, crying out in pain.

He rose, gasping, his eyes filled with both shock and fury.

She sneered at him.

"Stay down," she warned.

" **WITCH!"** he snarled drawing his training blade.

Keera fell back drawing her own, dropping into her Soresu guard. Her blade over her head, its point at her opponent, her left had pointed as well, either to try a push or more lightning.

Bryden's blade flared to life, from the glow she could tell his weapon was now at maximum.

Killing power.

Her eyes narrowed.

She followed his example, her sword's blade brightened.

The training room had fallen silent; tension was thick in the air.

Girl and boy faced each other, their weapons drawn.

"Come on," Keera hissed, "I'm waiting, Hutt spawn! Come on!"

It was at that moment that Adaz and Phylon appeared. They did not get between the two, but they were close enough to discourage any further escalation.

"Is there a problem, Hopefuls," The Force Master asked pleasantly. It was almost as if he did not see the two powered weapons ready to engage.

Before she could answer, her enemy spoke up.

"She struck with me with lightning, Overseer," Bryden snarled, "I'll see the witch answer for it!"

"Yes, I saw," the rotund Sith said dryly, "An impressive display to be sure."

He turned to Keera.

"I do not remember lightning being a part of this game, Keera?"

Her eyes never left Bryden, or his blade. Though she had to say she was surprised.

She did not realize that Phylon even knew her name. Sadly she had no time to ponder that, all her attention was right now directed at her opponent, her rival.

If he struck her while she was addressing the masters, it could be fatal.

"I've grown weary of his clumsy advances, Overseer," she responded, "He sought to embarrass me, again."

She smirked evilly.

"Lightning came be quite persuasive, if it is used correctly."

Her comment, his own words, amused Phylon.

The Overseer laughed.

"True enough, Hopeful," he said.

"Very true, indeed."

If Phylon was amused, Adaz was not.

He was glaring at Bryden.

"You are aware of the rules about trying to kill a fellow Hopeful, aren't you Bryden?"

Bryden risked a glance at the sword master, some of his anger faded.

"She struck first, Overseer," he replied.

"No, she responded to your _**failed**_ attempt to dominate her. Normally, a simple Force push would have sufficed, but that would have been her choice, not mine."

Adaz crossed his arms over his scarred chest.

"Are you sure you wish to push this, Squad Leader, especially with so many witnesses?"

He looked around then, remembering finally that they weren't alone.

The eyes of the whole academy were on him, waiting to see what he did next.

Keera watched Bryden careful, she saw the change in him; there was a slight shift in the Force.

She smiled.

She knew she had won this round.

Bryden was in a lose-lose situation a right now. If he attacked Keera, chose to make this a formal duel, his victory would mean little. He was already her superior, killing her would bring him little in the way of prestige, and since he had instigated this confrontation by drawing his blade set to kill, he would still have to answer to Adaz for killing a fellow Hopeful. The fact that she was a favorite of Adaz made that even more complicated.

If he won, he would not enjoy the fruits of that victory. If anything he stood to _lose_ prestige. She doubted that he would be exile to the surface, but he would definitely need to be punished. Instead of being able to choose his next assignment, he would be given no say, likely sent to serve as a rager on some distant mud ball, far from any chance at glory, or advancement.

Now if _**she**_ won, that would be another matter entirely, it would be considered a matter of self-defense. He had drawn first, not her. Defeating and killing a superior rival would definitely help her rise in the academy. It would be a _**great**_ source of prestige. Who knew? She might even be able to parlay such a victory into becoming a Squad Leader herself, maybe even earn a spot at one of the higher level academies as an acolyte.

She smiled at Bryden.

Even in defeat, she would win. True, she would be dead, but so would his dreams. He would be trading the satisfaction of killing her for any chance of future advancement within the Sith.

She did not desire death, of course, but she didn't believe it would come to that now.

She could sense the Force twisting around Bryden; she could feel his fear as he weighed his options.

She drank in that fear and indecision, it was glorious.

It was delicious.

Finally, and unsurprisingly, he lowered his blade, the glow faded as he powered it down.

Keera did not lower hers until he had sheathed his sword and stalked away.

She took a deep breath, savoring the taste of victory, or at least the satisfaction of standing strong against her opponent.

The game continued; she was pleased to say she did not yield to any of the other Hopefuls. She also noted that, unlike Bryden, none of the others risked lowering their Force shields, even when it seemed that she might be obeying them.

They knew what she could do to them now, if angered.

That was good.

As they broke for evening meal, she made sure that her former Squad Leader was not behind her.

She did not wish to take the chance that he might try something…sneaky.

She stared at Bryden's back, knowing that this was not over.

We are on a collision course, now.

It likely will not end until one of us is dead.

The thought should have frightened her, yet, strangely, it did not.

If anything it filled her with a sense of nervous anticipation.

He was not the type to wait, she knew, he would likely make his move in the next few days.

She smiled slyly.

When that day came…

…she would be ready.


	10. The First Trial

**Chapter 10: The First Trial**

 _She awoke under an Oridanna sky._

 _Keera blinked and rubbed her eyes, all around her the golden grass of her blew like the waves of some distant sea. Small puffy clouds made their way across the violet sky. The girl stretched her bare arms tingled slightly, hinting at the sunburn that would likely blossom across her bare shoulders tomorrow._

 _Surprisingly, she couldn't care less._

 _She laughed._

 _A dream, she thought to herself, tears of joy coming to her eyes._

 _It had all been a horrible dream._

 _Grinning like a fool she grabbed a floppy straw hat from where she had left it, to her right Ro Wilkes slept peacefully, snoring softly._

 _She chuckled._

 _Some people simply could not hold their wine, she thought._

 _They had finished the harvest yesterday. Their quotas met, what was owed to the Empire loaded and on its way._

 _For a brief time, the people of Oridanna could rest and enjoy their peaceful world._

 _It was a time that Keera Lylos intended to enjoy to the fullest._

 _She and Ro had…barrowed a bottle of wine from his father's stores, they had come up here to have a picnic and had lost track of time. Though still warm, the sun was already starting to set. Keera leaned over her friend and whispered in his ear to wake up._

" _We got to get home," she reminded him._

" _It is getting late."_

 _He groaned and waved her off, murmuring that he was awake._

 _She smirked and scooped up her shoes, she had taken them off to enjoy the feel of the soft grass between her toes._

 _It would have been nice to stay here a while longer, sadly, she simply could not do it. She had to get home._

 _Her father might have doted on her but that did not mean that he would not punish her if she missed her curfew, besides after that horrible nightmare…_

… _she wanted to see her family again._

 _She needed to see them._

 _She made for her swoop, beginning its start up in record time._

 _The bike took off like a blaster bolt._

 _Keera shot off across the plains, heading straight for home._

… _Straight for her family…back to where she belonged._

 _The sun dipped quickly below the horizon, Keera did not slow down._

 _She had to make it home, she had to see them._

 _She had to make sure they were all right._

 _Father, Mother, Anj. Talitha, and even Pamir, she would pick up Pamir and hug her until she couldn't breathe!_

 _That was how much Keera missed them._

 _How glad she was that it had all been a horrible nightmare._

 _She wanted to help Mom put Anj to bed. Then she would stay up and help Talitha with that stupid little cleaning droid she insisted she could fix. Her little sister was tenacious, no one could deny that._

 _Keera got annoyed with her sometimes, but that did not mean that she did not love her._

 _She did._

 _She loved them all…so very much._

 _Night settled over the land faster than she had ever remembered. Keera's heart began to beat faster._

 _Something was wrong, she could feel it._

 _She…_

 _Ove the last hill, home finally came into view._

 _She sighed with relief._

 _It was still here, she thought._

 _Praise the Emperor, it was still here!_

 _They were all outside, her family, her people waiting for her. She brought her swoop skidding to a stop, she leapt off, eager to run to her mother's arms, to hear her father call her Blossom and chuckle at the story she had dreamed up thanks to too much wine._

 _She hurried to them, a strong gust of wind blowing off her straw hat. She called out to them letting them know she was home._

 _Her family saw her, and then…_

 _Keera blinked._

 _Mother grabbed Anj. Pamir pulled Talitha down into the house, the girl dropped her droid, screaming to her sister that that they had to stop._

 _Keera stopped._

 _Father stood before her, the love that had always been in his eyes was gone, in its place only cold hard resolve._

 _He held a blaster rifle, its point directed at her,_

 _She froze._

 _Dad? She wanted to say._

 _What is going on?!_

" _Stay away from them," he shouted aiming his blaster at her head._

" _STAY AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!_

 _Keera whimpered._

 _Dad, she tried to say, Daddy, what is going on? It is Keera, Daddy. I'm your little Blossom, remember?_

 _It is me. It is Keera._

 _Her father did not hear her._

" _I will go with you if that is what it takes, my lord," her father said, "I will go, but please, I beg of you, leave my family be."_

 _It was then that Keera looked down at herself._

 _Bile rose in her throat._

 _She was dressed in robes of midnight black, her armor was coal gray with red highlights..._

… _The robes of a Sith, the armor of an enforcer._

 _She tried to cry out, to deny what was happening._

 _No, this was a dream! It was a nightmare!_

 _This is not me, she wanted to wail._

 _This is_ _ **not**_ _me!_

 _When she did speak, her voice sounded different, older, colder, and as cruel as the vacuum of space._

 _She laughed at her father._

" _Those who ask for mercy," she purred, "Are unworthy of it."_

 _Grinning her hand went to her belt, she drew her lightsaber._

 _It ignited with the hiss of a venomous snake._

 _The world turned red, bathed in the blood shine of a Sith blade, of_ _ **her**_ _blade._

 _She could see the fear in her father's eyes, it sickened her, disgusted her._

 _Tiny little rodent, she thought to herself._

 _Destroying this place will be a mercy, not to mention a break from the monotony of this task._

 _What?!_

 _NO, she tried to scream._

 _NO!_

 _She raised her sword in mocking salute. Then she raised her left hand, a small detonator rested in the palm of her hand._

 _No, she tried to shriek._

 _No. No. No. No._

 _The enforcer that had been Keera Lylos sneered and pressed the button._

 _The Lylos family home, the Lylos family itself vanished in a ball of red flame._

 _Keera wailed in horror_

 _The blast spread outward, consuming everything, the grass the ground, the sky…_

… _Then it reached her, she laughed as she was blasted to ash._

 _NO! She cried out as she was atomized!_

 _ **NOOOOOO!**_

IOI

Her eyes snapped open, her final cry still on her lips.

She sat up in bed, gasping for breath, tears streaming down her face.

She struggled against the panic; the walls of her room in the Fury 9 academy seemed to be closing in.

Not a dream, she realized, stifling a sob.

Not a dream.

She willed her heart to slow, she reached out to the Force; the dark side was there, waiting for her.

It wrapped her in its cold comforting embrace.

She took a deep shuddering breath.

The fear retreated; anger flowed in, washing away the self-pity that continued to haunt her.

She cursed under her breath.

Fool girl, she thought.

Why do you keep torturing yourself like this?

The answer was not that surprising.

A Sith killed my family, she thought.

Now…I'm turning into a Sith.

She shuddered.

I'm no better than the man who killed my family.

I'm no better!

The realization was like a bucket of cold water on her head.

No, she thought, it was not that simple.

It never had been.

The world was not black and white.

A mere farm girl from Oridanna could not find justice on her own. A Sith Lord was untouchable in the Empire, untouchable to all but another Sith.

She would not become what she fought.

The Force would free her; she would find victory thought her passion!

Darth Feer would answer for what he had done, and then…then…

Keera swallowed.

What…what would happen after her revenge was complete?

She didn't know. She…

There was a knock on her door.

She leapt out of bed.

She glanced at the chrono on the wall, four hours before sunrise.

No student would be up right now.

She went to the door, undoing the lock.

Overseer Adaz stood before her, his golden eyes as cold as night outside the mountain.

"Yes, Overseer," she said in a timid voice.

"Come with me, hopeful," he said gesturing, "Now."

Keera nodded.

"Just a moment," she said starting to close the door; it would take mere moments for her to get dressed.

He stopped her from closing it, is eyes were icy.

"Not a moment," he said, " **Now."**

He turned and started to walk away.

Keera opened the door and did her best to keep up.

What was this now, she wondered.

What was going on?

She had been in bed when she had dozed off. She now made her way down the academy's dark halls in just a sleeveless shirt and a pair of briefs.

She winced.

 _That is all I need,_ she thought.

… _For Bryden to see me walking down the hall in my underwear._

If Adaz was distracted by her state of undress he did not show it. He moved quickly, she almost had to jog to keep up.

It was then that she realized that she had left her training saber in her room. She thought of asking if she could go back for it, but the blade master was moving too fast.

It was all she could do to keep up.

When he did finally speak, there was no affection in his voice, no pride, through the Force all she could feel was anger radiating off of him.

…Anger…and disappointment.

"Why is Bryden still alive?" he asked her.

Keera winced.

"Overseer? I…I don't understand the question?"

He glared at her.

"It is a simple question, hopeful," he said, "Bryden drew his weapon on you…

…Why is he still alive?"

The question surprised her.

What was this now, she wondered.

The last few months of training took over.

She frowned, seeking to armor herself.

"There were too many witnesses," she said automatically, "It would not have been clean."

" **Clean,"** he spat, "I was _there,_ Hopeful. You had your rival down. He was struggling to his feet, wobbly from your attack. As soon as he pulled his weapon you were free to attack. Why didn't you? You could have used your lightning. You could have used one of the tricks that Phylon taught you. You could have turned Bryden's mind inside out, yet you hesitated, waited for us to step in. Why?"

He stopped frowning down at her.

She squirmed under his cold regard.

"I want an answer Hopeful, _**now!"**_

She cringed under those hard golden eyes, the anger in them.

She….she had no good answer.

Adaz had become a mentor to her, she respected him, and she thought that he had come to respect her.

Feeling his displeasure through the Force, seeing that cold look in his eyes made her feel small, insignificant…

…As insignificant as a farm girl from Oridanna.

 _Fight back,_ the dark voice in her head said, _defend yourself you little fool!_

 _This could very well be your last and_ _ **only**_ _chance._

She stood up straighter, met him eye to eye.

"As much as I hate him," she began; Bryden is still a servant of the Empire. He is weapon of the Emperor. Killing him would have denied the Empire his skills."

She tried not to quail under her master's gaze,

"It was for the good of the Empire, she said, "The greater good."

Adaz sneered at that.

"The greater good," he spat, "Now you are starting to sound like a Jedi! You sound like a servant, a slave…not a Sith."

He shook his head.

"You disappoint me, Hopeful," he said, "You disappoint me, greatly."

Now she did quail under his gaze.

She…she could not help it.

She…she thought she had done everything right.

Would one mistake doom her mission before it ever truly began?

No, it could not do that!

Surely this was not the end.

"Give me another chance," she said.

He snorted.

"I should be done with you," he said dismissively.

Her temper began to flare.

Strange, she thought, a few moments ago she was questioning her choice of becoming Sith, now she stood before Adaz trying to defend that choice.

Ironic.

"Let me prove to you that I have not wasted your time," she said, "I can be what you want me to be."

He paused, his brow furrowed in thought.

She held her ground; she tried to show no fear.

Fear would be the end of her if she let it.

She could not let that happen.

"You lack the instinct of a true Sith," he said flatly, "I've been watching, Hopeful. Since you have come here, you have not taken a single life. You have injured opponents yes, but not taken that final critical step."

He shook his head.

"I fear you may not have it in you to take a life."

Keera's eyes narrowed.

"I killed the men that slew my family," she reminded him.

"In a moment of rage," he reminded her, "You weren't in control. It was not a conscious decision. That was emotion, not command."

He frowned down on her.

"A Sith must always be ready to take command."

She started to protest, only to realize that he had a point.

She had always considered her self-control to a point of pride, but had she gone too far?

Had that self-control turned into a weakness?

In a Sith, she realized, it could be.

He looked on her, his lip curling into a sneer.

"I can sense your fear," he said, "You're afraid to truly let go. You're afraid to let the darkside scour you clean. You still cling to the weak little farm girl from that hole you crawled out of."

Keera hissed with anger.

"It is Keera's mission that drives my anger."

"It is Keera Lylos that is holding you back. Her innocence is dragging you down; it is a chain, choking the life out of you. You must let her go, let the dark side burn away that last bit of weakness, free yourself from the shackles of the path."

His eyes flared with fury.

"If you don't you are doomed. You will never survive your next trial."

"I will," she promised, "I can."

He sighed with disgust, started to turn away.

She grabbed his arm and forced him to look upon her.

"I can," she growled.

The sword master snarled, and back handed her, she took a step back, but did not fall.

She turned glaring at him, her cheek already starting to bruise from the strike.

"I can," she repeated.

"I can."

He snorted and gestured for her to follow.

She did, the dark side churning inside her, bubbling, burning, it felt like some explosive chemical, roiling under extreme heat.

Ready to ignite.

Ready to explode.

"You have one final chance," Adaz said.

"One last chance to prove yourself worthy."

"I'm ready, master" she said.

"Turn me loose, unleash me."

"I'm ready."

IOI

She followed him down a hall that was usually restricted to students. He said nothing more, and again she had to break into a jog to try and keep up.

No one observed their passing, there were too few students left in the academy now to notice.

He led her down a hall lit only with four sputtering torches.

At the end stood Overseer Phylon, the rotund Sith smirked as he saw her approach.

"Nice outfit, Hopeful," he said grinning lecherously.

She glared at him. Part of her wishing she could knock that smirk off his face. Pop his eyeballs out for staring at her in such a state of undress.

She was grateful for her anger in that moment.

It kept her from blushing with embarrassment.

Adaz stood before his fellow Overseer. His expression was grim, unyielding.

"This is the trial of blood," he said, "You will either survive it, or die suffering."

He stood up straighter.

"There is no other way."

Keera took a deep breath, tried to center herself, she reached down and let the darkness flow into her.

She would need its power tonight.

Phylon smiled at her.

"Are you aware, Hopeful," he began, "That this academy is not the only Sith controlled installation on this planet?"

She shook her head, no.

He continued, his amusement growing.

"It is what you might call a prison of sorts. A nasty place to be sure, populated by only the most degenerate and cruel of the Empire."

"They are scum," Adaz added, "No, Force potential, and no interest in serving the Empire, even if it could mean their freedom."

"In a way," Phylon added, "It is sort of a dark reflection of our beloved academy. Both institutions are filled with the Empire's rabble, the only difference is, that your kind have the chance to rise upon the scum."

Adaz gestured her forward.

"On occasion," he said, "We have requested inmates be brought here. The vile are chosen for that duty."

"Slime versus slime," Phylon said, "Filth versus filth. The Hopeful either takes the next step or they are brutalized, slain, cast down, and forgotten."

Keera stepped forward. She stood before the door that the two Overseers had blocked from her view.

Both of them stepped back.

A metal grate came down with a bang, separating Keera from them.

She spun with a cry of surprise and grasped the bars.

"What is this?" she demanded.

"LET ME OUT!"

Adaz sighed.

"This is the trial of blood," he said, "it begins now."

Phylon chuckled.

"May the Force serve you well." He said.

A loud buzzer sounded overhead.

The door before her did not open…

…the floor beneath vanished.

She shrieked and fell down a shaft.

"Die well, Hopeful," Phylon called down to her.

"Die well."

IOI

She was still shrieking when tumbled onto a hard stone floor. She came down, wrong on her shoulder, possibly dislocating it.

She cried out in agony.

Above her a red light flashed on and off. Through the pain, through watery eyes, she looked around.

What she saw terrified her.

A large round room, a plain sand floor, no weapons, no way out except the chute that she had fallen down at the start of her trial.

That is when she heard the giggling.

A shudder ran down her spine.

She realized that she was not alone.

She looked up; a cry of horror escaped her throat.

There were four of them. Two humans, a Zabrak, and what might have been a Twi'lek, she could not really tell with all the burns, one of his head tails was all but gone.

They were staring at her, the look in their eyes, one of hunger, of lust, and amusement.

"Pretty," one of the human's giggled.

"Very pretty."

Keera back pedaled, trying to regain her feet.

All four were armed she noticed, a shiv, a club, a stun stick, and what might have been a vibrosword.

"Look at this little slice of cake, boys," the Zabrak snarled, smiling with a mouth of rotting teeth.

"No," whimpered Keera.

"No."

The Zabrak raised his shiv.

"Let's have a slice," he said.

All four rushed her.

They knocked her down, tearing at her shirt, pulling her hair; she felt something hard strike her left thigh. The four of them forced her down.

She cried out, wailed in agony.

This was not a trial, she thought.

This was a violation, and she was the victim.

She shrieked. Calling out for Overseer Adaz, but he did not come.

He had abandoned her.

Now it was over.

Now she was dead.

One of the humans tried to pull her legs apart.

The world turned red.

Keera wail turned into something more, something worse.

The prisoners let her go, covering their ears.

She flung her hands out.

One of the humans and the Zabrak went flying.

She sat up, snarling with fury.

She looked into the eyes of the burned Twi'lek.

She cursed in the language of the old Sith, raising both her hands.

Lightning blasted from her fingertips.

The alien was thrown across the room, his body on fire.

The pain in her arm was intense, she could not stand up; one of her legs was not working right.

Someone grabbed her from behind she felt metal at her throat.

Time seemed to slow down; she reached out with the dark side. She sensed the human's mind, the one holding her.

She cast a spell, the first one that came to mind, one of the more nasty ones, if she was being honest.

The spell tore into his mind, unleashing everything he had ever been afraid of, one long terrifying fall into madness.

He let her go, howling in terror, his fingers dug into his own eyes, trying to stop the visions that danced before his eyes.

That would not work, she knew.

This was one journey the beast would not be coming back from.

She somehow found her feet, only the Zabrak and one of the humans remained.

Not for long, she thought.

Not for long.

She gestured, the abandoned vibrosword leapt into her hands.

The two prisoners tried to rush her again.

She did not give them the chance.

She reached out with the Force again. She caught the Zabrak in a crushing grip. She could have simply collapsed his windpipe, but she was not feeling that merciful.

Her hand began a fist.

The man's whole body compacted.

She threw the mess away.

Only one remained, one of the humans.

He got in close, she had been too slow with her guard; he swatted her sword away.

He tried to stab her with a shiv.

She caught his hand with the Force.

He struggled mightily against her, but it was no use.

She had him now, and she was not going to let go.

Keera could not Force persuade him, that power was beyond her, but she didn't really need to.

She used the Force to push his arm back; he had been in such shock that he had not even thought to drop his knife.

It caught him in the throat.

He fell gurgling.

Keera was not done.

She leapt on top of him, screaming in fury, curses that would have made most space pirates blush.

She stabbed him with his own knife; she stabbed him again, and again, and again.

She did not stop until he stopped twitching. Even then it was a very near thing.

A buzzer sounded overhead.

The red flashing light stopped.

The ceiling irised open.

Keera blinked and looked up.

Overseer Adaz and Overseer Phylon were looking down on her. There expressions a mix of pity and disappointment.

"Less than well done, Hopeful," The Force master said shaking his head, "Definitely sub-par."

"She passed," Adaz said.

"Barely," Phylon answered.

The sword master sighed with disappointment.

"Yes, he agreed, "Barely."

Keera had no words, she could not stand, she was covered in blood; her night clothes torn; more rags than anything else.

She looked up at Adaz, her mentor, she was furious.

" _You could have_ _ **warned**_ _me,"_ she shouted.

He shook his head no.

"This was your lesson," he reminded her, "Not mine."

"Indeed," Phylon said sounding happier than she ever heard him, "You chose to come here in a state of undress and unarmed. All you could see was proving yourself to your beloved master."

He smiled and looked at Adaz.

"You trusted him," Phylon said, "That was your first mistake, and…almost your last."

Keera looked at Adaz, he did not even look ashamed, she had almost been violated and murdered and he did not even care.

She thought he respected her. He was her mentor, like a father to her.

And he had betrayed her.

Her blue eyes narrowed dangerously.

She would never forget that.

"You found your killer instinct," the sword master said, "Hold onto that feeling, carry it with you into the next stage of your training, and above all else, remember the true lesson of all this."

Phylon was grinning from ear to ear.

"Beware your masters," he said, "Beware your apprentice, all will seek to take what is yours. Your power, your life, you must ever remain on guard, protect what is yours, do that and you will be invincible."

Keera howled, she tried to lash out at the two of them with the Force, but unlike the inmates she had torn apart, they were shielded. They knew how to defend themselves.

It enraged her.

They were animals, she wanted to slaughter them.

She hated them!

She had exhausted herself in the trial, she felt dizzy, and she was sitting in a pool of her own blood.

Phylon laughed happily.

"Yes," he said, "There is the fire of a Sith Lord."

Adaz frowned.

"We need to get her to medical," he said, "she is going to bleed out from that leg."

Keera looked down; a shiv had been shoved in her thigh. Blood was leaking from the wound a lot of blood.

The woozy sensation made sense now. The dark side had held it off for a while, but now…she was bleeding to death.

Yet it didn't matter, Adaz had **betrayed** her. **HER!** She wanted to kill him; she wanted to rip out his throat.

She had tasted blood, now she wanted _**more!**_

"Gas her," Phylon ordered, "Then have the slaves carry her down to medical. We can critique her performance tomorrow."

" **Don't turn away from me,"** Keera snarled, **"I'll tear you apart, both of you, do you hear me!?"**

White clouds filled the chamber, the window that her masters had watched her through closed.

She tried to fight, to hold her breath, but it was for nothing.

The gas was getting in through her skin.

The woozy feeling increased fivefold.

She slumped to the ground.

"Keel you," she murmured, the shadows welcoming her into their cool embrace.

"I'll keel you…you…youuuuu…oohhhhh!

She finally let go.

She let Keera Lylos fall into her grave, let her finally be buried.

She let the Sith out let her rise…it would be the Sith that would open her eyes in medical.

She would be awake, and hungry!

Revenge would come.

IOI


	11. Shame

**Chapter 11: Shame**

She had passed the trial, but…it was not a victory.

Though not life threatening, her injuries had been…extensive. She had truly suffered for her survival, dislocated shoulder and collarbone, cracked ribs, a huge gash in her leg, bruised cheek, blackened eye, split lip, and worst of all…the loss of prestige in the eyes of the overseers.

For the girl who had once been Keera Lylos, the last injury was the worst of all.

She had awoken in the medical room, secured to a bed, and tended by the droids that served there. They said little to her, doing only what was expected to get her back on her feet and nothing else. When it came to care for the injured, the Sith did not program their droids to coddle their patients, injury and scarring were seen as a sign of weakness, a sign she would now have to bear. She may have succeeded in the trial, but her performance or lack thereof, still carried consequences. The amount of care the medical droids provided was proof of that. Only the bare minimum of pain killers were used when treating injuries, if it at all. The droids reset her shoulder with a painful pop., they applied special kolto injecting wraps to help with healing the bruised muscles and the swollen tendons, it would shorten her healing time by weeks, but that did not make it any less painful. She would simply need to cope. Her leg was treated similarly, a brace was put on, also designed to provide periodic kolto injections to the wound, to speed up healing, yet it did little for her mobility, she would be hobbling around the academy for the next few days...

The young hopeful sighed.

 _They could have just submerged me in a kolto tank for a few hours,_ she thought, _if they had she would have been good as new today. Of course, that was not the treatment the droids had suggested. The tank was only for life threatening injuries, and though debilitating, her injuries did not fit those perimeters._

At least, that is what they told her.

The truth…was not so cut and dried.

She frowned.

This was a lesson in itself, she realized, from the masters.

She had hesitated during the trial, and now she would need to live with the consequences, her body would heal, but it would take time…

…and during that time, she would be vulnerable.

The droids offered her a robe, and let her hobble back to her room under her own power, by then another day at the academy had begun. A few passing students saw her as she went by, she heard them whispering to each other once they thought they were out of earshot. She could only imagine the jeers at seeing her left in such a state.

 _It is your own fault that_ dark voice within her said.

 _You know better than go about the academy unprepared and unarmed._

She returned to her room to find a data pad waiting for her. It was from Overseer Adaz.

Seeing his name only made the hate within swell.

She had been excused from her run on the course today, a small favor, but would still be required to attend the group class with the rest of the hopefuls. Which, gave her a few hours to rest, and try to heal, not that that would help much, she knew.

She limped over to her bed and sat down.

She could have tried to sleep, but her mind was too busy to allow it, she could have tried to meditate, but the brace on her leg make that difficult. So, she simply sat there, feeling both angry at herself, and at the state that she had been left in.

It wasn't fair! She thought morosely.

I have done everything that was expected of me since coming here, and now…now…I end up like this.

 _Being Sith is_ _ **not**_ _about being fair,_ the dark voice reminded her, _it is about seizing control, taking what is yours, blazing your own path to victory._

She shuddered.

 _Through victory, my chains are broken._

Those were the words, but this victory did not feel like one.

She had been left wounded, vulnerable.

Her blue eyes narrowed at the thought.

The next few days would not be pleasant.

There was blood in the water now… _ **her**_ blood.

She shook her head.

The sharks would be coming soon…

…all of them.

IOI

Saber training that day went as bad as she had expected. A hopeful that she had defeated weeks ago took one look at her, and offered to spar.

She could have refused, but thought that if she needed to, she could use the Force to turn the bout to her advantage, this hopeful was no real threat; he was so far beneath her in skill that she had not even bothered to learn his name.

He made her pay for that arrogance.

Her shoulder made holding a saber difficult, her brace made her foot work slow and clumsy. Both Soresu and Makashi relied as much on the users speed and agility as it did the Force. Her Force connection was strong, but her body simply could not keep up. She tried to draw on the dark side, her anger at all this to compensate, but it was just not enough.

The dark side might be limitless, but she was not.

Her defenses were slow, and trying to keep up with her healthy opponent tired her out quickly.

After a few exchanges, she realized that the battle was lost. She could have lowered her blade, and kneeled, but her pride would not allow it.

His blade got through her defenses, caught her on her injured leg, she cried out in pain as the training sword burned through her leggings and left an angry red burn right above where her leg brace began, and as she did, she lost her connection to the darkside.

Her opponent, Force pushed her to the ground; she came down hard enough to jar her bruised shoulder, stars exploded before her eyes.

She found herself looking up into her opponents face, his eyes alight with victory.

His training blade was at her throat.

She looked up at him, her eyes defiant.

Go ahead, she wanted to shout, finish it, see what happens if you do.

Despite her feelings, she found herself looking for Overseer Adaz; surely he would not want to see his star pupil humbled so.

What she saw broke her heart.

The blade master was barely paying attention; he did not even acknowledge that she had been beaten.

Through the Force, all she could feel was apathy and indifference.

How could this have happened? She wondered.

How could it have gone so wrong so quickly!?

Her eyes once again turned to her opponent. She considered trying a spell or lightning, but the blade was pressed far too close to her throat, and…she could hear the hum of blade's highest setting, the kill setting.

If she tried anything, she would die, and unlike what had happened between her and Bryden, her opponent had no qualms about finishing this…permanently.

Keera shuddered, knowing what needed to be done, and hating herself for it just the same.

She let go of her blade, closed her eyes, and offered him her neck.

One strike and it would all be over.

He had won, now all he had to do was claim his prize.

"Not so tough now, are you, Farm Girl," he spat.

She said nothing, she was angry, but there was little she could do.

The boy withdrew his blade with an arrogant smile, no doubt now thinking that his original loss to her had been a fluke.

He left her then, turned his back on her like she was nothing.

She took a shuddering breath, she was alive, but only because another hopeful thought that she was not worth killing.

She glanced over at Adaz again; he barely even acknowledged her presence.

It was if she no longer mattered, that she no longer existed.

She saw no sign of Phylon on the walkways above, but did not doubt the rotund overseer was aware of what just happened.

Now not only was she wounded, but she had been defeated by a _lesser_ student.

As she struggled to her feet, she saw Bryden grinning at her, clearly having enjoyed watching her fail.

She glared back, but that in itself was more for show than anything else.

She suppressed a shudder.

Her life here was suddenly in freefall.

She could only imagine where it would go from here.

IOI

The next few days were a constant struggle…a world of pain.

The shoulder wrap had come off after the second day, but her arm remained stiff, her ability to swing her training saber muted.

Her runs on the course were equally troubling.

As the sole remaining squad leader, Bryden took command, leading them down the harshest of the courses day after day. Before her trial Keera could have kept up easily, now she found herself near the middle of the pack, with the bulk of the students suspecting that the only reason why the squad leader chose this path was to torture her.

Had she made any friends up to this point, she would have lost them because of that.

Yet, she refused to quit, refused to bow down. Several more defeats in saber duels left her a pariah. Yet still neither of the masters approached her about ending her training.

What were they waiting for?

She could not say.

She had expected to return from her training to find a data pad with orders for her to be shipped out to either the battle ragers or the assassins of Imperial intelligence.

If the masters did believe her truly broken, such an order should be coming any day now.

Yet, for some reason those orders did not come. She was stuck here now; caught in a form of dark limbo, no longer accepted among the ranks of her fellow hopefuls.

Though that did not bother her as much as it should have, if her days of shaming had taught her anything it was this.

She _despised_ everyone here, their cruelty; their arrogance.

The whole lot of them could die for all she cared, especially the two overseers.

They had broken her, broken and abandoned her.

Whatever happened, they deserved what they got.

So she stuck to her isolation, emerging only to attend group lessons, eating alone, and studying alone.

She sought shelter among the stories of the past, the wisdom of the dark lords of the past.

That may have been the end of her, but one day, a week after her disastrous trial, she returned to find something out of place.

She hobbled into her room and turned on the lights. There, sitting on her bed was a book she had never seen before.

She looked around in surprise; nothing appeared to have been touched. She reached out with her senses, trying to feel if anything else was amiss.

She searched and searched, but…

Nothing.

Nothing had been taken; only the book had been left behind.

Her eyes narrowed.

What sort of trick could this be?

She made her way to the bed, and sat down, grateful to be finally off her feet. The brace would, at last, be off tomorrow, which was good, but she still feared that it would come too late.

She did not think it possible to pull herself back from the brink now.

She picked up the book and inspected it. The bindings were fairly new, but it was clear that the pages had seen a lot of travel and abuse.

It was not from the library though…she would have noticed it before if it was; it seemed…well…almost in too good of shape to be in the library of Fury 9.

She looked at the cover not recognizing the title: _The Lord of Corruption, the rule and times of Darth Hecaetus._

Keera brow furrowed.

She had never heard of a Darth Hecaetus. The name did not ring any bells.

Having nothing left to do, but sleep she decided to open it up and explore what knowledge might be inside. Several of the pages had been marked, she noticed. Apparently, whoever left this tome, thought that she might find what was inscribed their useful.

She decided to give her mysterious benefactor the benefit of the doubt.

What did she have to lose?

It was not like she could fall any further.

Who knew, perhaps Lord Hecaetus might have some wisdom to offer, a way to help herself.

It couldn't hurt.

The least she could do was read.

Perhaps she would be inspired; at the very least it would keep the self-pity at bay.

She opened to the first marked section.

What **more** did she have to lose?

She needed help.

And as it turned out…she found it.

IOI

The next day came far too quickly, she had barely slept at all the night before, pausing only once to replenish herself with an hour of meditation.

Yet, in that time, she found a renewed sense of purpose, a renewed desire to succeed…

…and all because of a few passages in an old book.

Keera said nothing as she sat down to her morning meal. After her performance the last few days, none of the students seemed to notice her anymore, they certainly did not see her as a threat.

She smiled to herself.

Today, that was about to change.

She rubbed her formerly wounded leg, even through her light trousers; she could feel the scar there. The Kolto had done its work, but she would carry the mark of the trial of blood for the rest of her days.

As I should, she realized, she had been distracted, foolish, and naïve.

Whenever she looked at that mark she would remember what such weaknesses had cost her.

Of course, there was a chance that everything that had happened was not all bad.

She now found herself in an interesting position, an opportunity waiting for her to seize it.

She might have missed it if not for the writings of Darth Hecaetus.

She nodded grimly.

It was an opportunity that she would not allow to pass her by.

The book, like many others in the library in Fury 9 focused mainly on the successes of the lord who had written it. The main difference between Hecaetus and other Sith Lords was that he had actually trained at Fury 9 when he was young.

His success was…intriguing to say the least.

Known as the gentleman of Dromund Kass, the dark lord had reinvented himself late in life. In his youth he had been a brute, a battle rager that had helped the empire prepare for its return to deal with the Republic and their Jedi lapdog. By the time he was a full Darth, he had been considered a man of great wealth and fine breeding.

The deception apparently was one of the greatest pleasures of his life, next to corrupting Jedi Padawans and turning them into loyal Sith Apprentices. Hence his other nick name, the corrupter.

Few realized his true history, and he took great pains to make sure that they didn't discover it; at least, that is what the book claimed.

He had been born the illegitimate son of a dark council member, and been cast out and left for dead while still in his teens. Eventually, he had managed to find his way to Fury 9. That had been his first step on the road to power.

Yes, it had been the first, but not the last.

His experience in Fury 9 helped shape him into the Sith that he became. He had arranged to become a squad leader through the manipulation of a higher ranked rival.

It was that story that had intrigued Keera the most.

 _Early on, I pushed to excel,_ the Dark Lord's writings had said _, Then…once I had my enemy's attention, I let my success seem to falter. No doubt he took great pride and joy in watching me suffer. Everyone, even the overseers thought me done, but by that, point I had done enough_ to ensure that my masters would not send me away out of turn.

 _I worked just hard enough to peak their interest... They now found themselves enthralled, curious of what plans I had hatched. It protected me from their wrath, giving me just enough room to maneuver, to ready myself to strike._

 _And when I did, I struck hard._

Keera nodded to herself.

It was ironic that this book had fallen into her lap at just this moment.

It had given her exactly what she needed to survive. Giving her just enough hope to hold onto her desires.

If Hecaetus had done it, then so could she.

And if she had not had enough reason to excel her classmates gave her one other.

A new holo had found its way into the academy, one in which Keera was the star.

Somehow, the recording of her initial contact with the inmates during her trial had ended up in the hands of the other students. No doubt they enjoyed watching her scream in pain and fear, the recording ended before anyone could see what had happened to the inmates, but still…the damage was done.

It was the final insult.

At that moment, all the students likely thought her doomed, she would never be a true Sith, and would likely not survive the week here at Fury 9…

…So much the better, Keera thought.

No one would guess what she had in mind next.

Her eyes found Bryden in the crowd, sitting with a group of would-be admirers. He grinned evilly and limped over to his table, mocking her troubled walk of the last few days.

She glared, her simmering rage threatening to spill out. It was all she could do not to leap up and attack him.

Not here, her inner voice said.

Wait until you're free to act, free of consequences, and teachers standing over you.

It was hard, but she forced herself to do just that.

She had given it a lot of thought overnight. Darth Hecaetus' words echoing in her ears.

 _Then…once I had my enemy's attention, I let my success seem to falter._

 _Everyone, even the overseers thought me done…_

… _And when I did, I struck hard._

The thought warmed her like a hot cup of caf on a cold day.

She ate hearty that day; she would need all the strength she could muster.

When Bryden stood up and announced that they would soon be leaving to make their run on the course. She was ready.

Keera smiled, but covered her face just enough to hide it.

No doubt Bryden would choose the hardest path of the course. He had done so every day since her injury. Perhaps he had hoped that the course itself would end her, which would have made things easy for him.

Keera was ready for that, and if, by some quirk he decided to take a different path, she was ready for that too. She had run all those paths enough time to know when the perfect time to strike was.

For now, she simply had to be patient, be patient and ready.

A Sith does not merely react; she takes control of the situation.

She nodded grimly.

Today she would take control.

If she failed, she would die, she would be left on the course broken and forgotten…

…But, if she didn't if everything went as planned.

She rubbed her injured thigh. It should be up to what she had planned.

She had been shamed long enough.

The time had come to go on the offense.

Once thing was for certain…someone here in the academy would die today.

It will not be me, she thought.

It will not be me.


	12. Taking Command

**Chapter 12: Taking Command**

The hopefuls returned to the academy as the weak midday sun was shining through the gray imposing clouds. In the distance one of the volcanoes was erupting, shooting smoke and fire into the upper atmosphere.

A chaotic scene, a violent scene, yet for Keera Lylos, it was a scene of grandeur, the distant volcano a chorus of trumpets calling out her victory.

A long time coming, she thought to herself…

…Too long.

She had left this morning in the middle of the pack, a nobody, a ghost of a girl limping beside the rest of the rabble. She returned at the front, leading the group, an alpha predator, her stride strong, her head held high.

 _Through victory my chains are broken. Had their ever been truer words spoken in the universe?_

She could sense the emotions of the others behind her. She could sense their shame, their jealousy, and more importantly their fear. Not a one had dared raise a blade against her and her little coup. A few had thought about it, she suspected, but none had been willing to roll the dice and see if the Force favored their endeavor this day.

She drank in those emotions, even as she reveled in her own. Guilt of getting caught, the elation of success, the thrill of the kill, fear of punishment, pride in finally ending a rivalry, so many wondrous emotions, and they warred inside her, lifting her up as she led the others down the final leg of the training course. She could have gone easy on them she knew, try to win back some support when they reached home base. She did not do that; foolish some might say, but in her eyes necessary.

They've seen me as nothing for too long, she knew, she had to be hard on them now, lest they think her weak, despite what she had just accomplished, and besides, they all deserved this.

She had not forgotten how they had laughed at her suffering, her struggle. They all deserved to answer for that.

It had been a justice that she…had been eager to carry out.

She grinned as she saw the open doors of Fury 9 coming into view, she could sense the two overseers…awaiting their return.

She did not intend to keep them waiting.

She set a leisurely pace as they jogged the last leg of the course. They stepped through the blast doors and finally came to a stop, most of them winded, but none collapsing or retching on the floor as they had done on the first day all those months ago.

Those that remained were the strongest of their original one hundred, physically anyway, some might question the intelligence of trying to become Sith.

True power is not about dominating the weak, any fool with a blade or a blaster could do that. Power, true power, was about inspiring the strong to serve your ends.

One of the many lessons she had learned studying in the Sith archives here. The ancient Sith may not have conquered the galaxy, but they had laid the ground work for the Empire of today, an Empire on the verge of triumph.

That was why the ancients should not be forgotten, it was through their sacrifice that the Sith were now here, and one day, would be triumphant, just as she was triumphant now.

Keera marched up to Adaz and Phylon. She did not limp or show any weakness before them.

She tried to keep the glee from showing, though she feared she radiated with it now.

It was not every day that you got to destroy an enemy.

Why not revel in that success?

"We have returned overseers," she said standing at attention. "Only a single hopeful was lost today."

She kept her expression bland, despite the intense euphoria she felt in delivering the news.

"I'm afraid Hopeful Bryden is no longer among us. He fell on the course."

She bowed her head slightly.

"He is dead."

"So, I see," Adaz said nodding, he looked out over the other students, no doubt reaching out with the Force, trying to get their impression of what had happened.

Phylon snorted with amusement. Though, she found it hard to believe that he was amused. Bryden had been one of his favorites after all.

She was a bit disappointed by his lack of reaction.

"I see you have endured despite the loss," the Force master replied, his eyes wandering over the remaining hopefuls.

"Your doing I suppose, Hopeful Keera?"

She stood a little straighter.

"Someone needed to take command, Overseer. I stepped up; the others fell in line behind me."

She shrugged dismissively.

"That is all there is to it."

"I'm sure it was **more** than that," Adaz said looking at her with new eyes. Through the Force she was sensing conflicting emotions, or perhaps she was simply conflicted after her mentor's treatment of her.

She sensed…satisfaction, pride, even…affection directed towards her.

She was confused.

 _You_ _ **abandoned**_ _me,_ she wanted to shout.

 _You have no right to claim any part of this victory!_

Yet, she held her tongue.

She had no desire to let her mouth sabotage what she had won this day.

"What happened?" Adaz asked, "What happened to Bryden out there?"

Now she did grin, she could not help it, not contain it any longer.

"Oh, Overseer Adaz," she began, "I…I don't know what happened. One moment Bryden was leading us and the next. Well…he just went mad! Too much pressure, perhaps, I think he finally must have cracked from the strain."

She shook her head.

"He fell from the top of one of the climbing walls. We…we could not help him, no one got to him in time."

The two overseers looked at each other. No doubt they suspected the truth.

"And that is all," Phylon asked, "He just went mad?"

Keera did her best to keep a straight face, to sound as innocent as she could.

"That is all overseer," she said, trying to make her voice sound humble and apologetic.

"There was nothing we could do."

Again the two leaders looked at each other. No doubt they suspected the truth, but had no real way to prove it. Academy rules while on _the course_ were…relaxed. Of course, they needed to be if the course was to be used to separate the weak from the strong.

Neither of the overseers were fools, they likely _**knew**_ what had happened, but they had no real way to prove what had occurred, and without hard proof, there was nothing they could do.

Bryden was dead, broken at the bottom of a climbing wall, or barely just alive waiting to freeze to death when the sun finally went down.

As it turned out, either would have served Keera's desire. All that mattered now was that her rival was gone.

Everything else was irrelevant.

IOI

He had not made it easy for her.

She stuck close to her fellow hopefuls as she waited for just the right opportunity. She ran with the rest of the pack, her limp more show now than actual weakness...

As she figured, Bryden took them down the worst of the four paths on the course. The squad leader kept his distance, choosing to outpace his fellow students, berating their weakness.

Keera drank up each insult, letting it fill her with anger, and then focused that anger into hate, hate that was building up in her breast, getting ready to unleash it on her foe.

It was all she could do to resist doing it right then and there, or better yet drawing her blade and dealing with her hated rival. She and Bryden had never crossed blades, though she had seen him battle several other hopefuls.

He was skilled she did not doubt that. She had seen him leave opponents broken and whimpering. Bryden was not the type to be satisfied with a simple win.

She had taken careful note of each of those victories. Even early on she had come to realize that the two of them would meet one day. That they would meet and only one would walk away after.

That meeting was about to happen, of course, if she did it right, no sword would ever be drawn.

It would not be honorable she knew, but what did honor matter in the face of vendetta?

Battle was glorious, but murder was far more certain.

She needed to be certain right now.

For the briefest of moments, the girl she had been reared up out of her grave. Keera shuddered as what she had once been tried to reassert itself.

"Murder is wrong," the old voice said, "It is a tool of the weak. Dad never tolerated it; he believed it the last resort of the foolish.

There had been very few murders in the villages that he had overseen, and when there were he had punished the culprit to the full extent of the law.

It was foolish to commit such a crime in my district, she heard him say once. Murder was a fool's crime, period.

Keera shook her head.

 _Is that what you are now, her conscience asked, Foolish?_

Keera tried to push such thoughts away, but…they would not go.

She frowned.

It is not like she had a whole lot of choice.

Bryden _**had**_ to be removed.

She sighed as she picked up speed, willing herself further on down the course.

Before her eyes, her father's face appeared his features cold and disappointed.

Keera did her best to ignore it.

Father had never understood.

The Sith were _**not**_ like everyone else.

When you played the games the dark lords did, you had to use every tool in your arsenal. Murder was just another of those tools. It may not have been as honorable as battle, but it served its purpose, removing those who could not be removed any other way.

If she chose to wait, it would be only a matter of time until Bryden dealt with her, for the moment he was enjoying her suffering, but he would no doubt tire of that, and then…he would try to kill her.

 _I have no choice_ , she thought, _it is either him or me, and it will_ _ **not**_ _be me._

She ignored her father's stern visage, the memory of it. His way had not worked, she reminded herself, if it had, he would still be alive, and she would have never sought to become a member of the Sith.

Fury 9 is no place for conscience, she thought, she did not need it, and so…she did her best to throw it away.

The time was almost here, she thought with nervous anticipation.

We are almost there.

She kept her slow pace, waiting for the right opportunity. Bryden continued to stay just out of reach, as he led them through one of the volcanic fields, a sudden gust of wind made Keera stumble, she corrected herself in time, but almost ended up falling into one of the steam vents, A little closer and she might have been boiled alive.

Later while using the force to leap over a particularly sharp volcanic rock formation, she felt herself be pushed back again. This time she had needed to correct her fall in midair, using the Force to turn her leap into a flip, and by doing so barely avoiding impaling herself.

Keera frowned.

She might have been out of practice, but even she knew better than to be almost killed **twice** out here, especially after so many runs on the course.

Besides, that moment with the rock formation had felt…different, almost like she had been pushed back, and the wind had not been nearly strong enough to…

Her eyes found Bryden; he was watching her closely, even though he was keeping his distance.

Her scowl deepened.

He said not a word and pushed on.

Keera glared after him.

It seemed that she was not the only one who had decided to take advantage of this journey. His sense of timing was interesting, but it would not save him, if anything it only strengthened her resolve.

Him or me, and it will not be me.

The climbing wall she had waited for came up a few moments later. Bryden, of course, did not need to climb it; he used the force, and simply leapt to the top with a single bound. Once at the top, he drew his training saber, waving it around as he berated his less than talented fellow hopefuls.

Keera watched him carefully, watched as he paced above her, watching him move oh so close to the edge.

We're here, she thought with a barely concealed smile.

It is time.

Some of her fellows did the leap, just as Bryden had. From his place atop the rise he was in perfect position to strike them down as they leapt up. The wall was too high for most, even if you cleared it in one bound, for the briefest of moments someone standing at the top could strike at you with little chance of you being able to defend. She could have made the jump herself, but after the previous two attempts on her life, and yes, she did believe them attempts, she was far more cautious.

Even from here, she could see his training saber glowing at full power. A vison of her being struck by his blade as she made the jump prevented her from trying it. The way he was swinging that blade, not to mention his pacing back and forth was enough to convince her that he _would_ strike her down before she reached the top.

A tragic accident, that is what he would tell the overseers, it would be a lie of course, and they would both know it, but without evidence, her death would simply be chalked up to the course claiming another victim. She doubted that any of her fellows would say anything; most of them blamed her for being on this path so much as it was.

They would be happy to be rid of her.

It seemed that Bryden had grown tired of their rivalry, and sought to end it here, just as she had.

The thought made her smile.

It seemed they were of like minds today, she realized.

This made it easier; it would be more self-defense then simple murder.

She made it to the rock wall and began to climb. Her eyes on the wall, but her senses directed up above.

She could sense Bryden now, his frustration, that and the anticipation to see done what needed to be done.

He was not happy she had chosen to climb, had he been smart he would have leapt down, tried to strike her from the bottom, or on the way down, but he was not that cunning.

Bryden had always preferred the more physical powers of the dark side. The strength, the speed, the telekinesis, those were his chosen tools. In her eyes, he lacked the subtly to truly be a Lord of the Sith, he should have accepted the command that Phylon and Adaz had offered him weeks ago.

Now…he was going to pay for that lack of vision.

She glanced up, and their eyes met. His desire to see her meet her end was clear on his cruel face, his eyes flickered with barely concealed hunger, he had reached the end, she realized, he was ready to end this.

Good, she thought.

So am I.

In that moment, she struck. She reached out with the dark side and sought her enemy's mind, murmuring the chant under her breath, she felt his defenses try to keep her out, but such defenses were nothing to her now. Bryden had always been a being of action, preferring the raw power of the physical world to the subtlety of the Force. It is what made him such a good fighter when he dueled.

Against her type of attack however, he had little defense.

She tore through his Force shield; it was nothing but an inconvenience. It was in that moment that she cast a spell, one of Phylon's personal favorites.

The result was instantaneous!

One moment Bryden was berating them, and the next.

He was out of his mind!

Hallucinations assaulted him, his fears given form. Keera heard him scream and reveled in the sweet sound of it. What came next was pure sweet chaos, the cries of the other hopefuls their curiosity turning to fear as the maddened squad leader fell upon them with his training blade, trying to slay the ghostly enemies that now assaulted him.

She heard the clash of blades, followed closely by shouts for aid.

Bryden's panicked voice rose above them all, shrieking for them to stay away, that they were all dead!

His words amused Keera.

So, it seemed their squad leader had a guilty conscience after all. He still feared the dead would come back and haunt him for what he had done.

Good, she thought, let them all be waiting for him on the other side, he…

She heard him scream, she glanced up again as the squad leader lose his footing, he cried out in terror as he lost his grip on his training blade.

He tumbled away from the wall, and began to fall, head first.

Keera cocooned herself in a force shield, not wishing to be struck by her rival on the way down, not wanting to be dragged down with him.

She did not move until she heard the body strike the ground, and when it did, she suddenly felt the sweetest surge of elation.

It was done, she thought.

Her tormentor was no more!

The dark side surged through her, filling her with its strength and speed. She scrambled the rest of the way up the wall in seconds, and found herself surrounded by her fellow hopefuls. They all seemed lost and confused; perhaps not truly grasping what had happened. They were still in shock from the sudden turn of events.

She did her best not to smile.

"What do we do now?" a boy on her left asked.

A blonde girl to her right looked down the wall, Keera dared a glance herself; she saw the black clad body lying at the bottom like a broken toy.

So small, she thought, and so insignificant.

Delicious!

"Should…should we go down and get him?" the girl asked, "Take him back to the academy?"

Keera almost laughed.

Oh the irony!

She had posed a similar question to Bryden on her first day, that perhaps they should show mercy to those not strong enough to keep up.

She glanced at her fellows; few seemed to grasp what had happened. Most of them milled around like nerfs, unable to move without a shepherd to guide them.

Weaklings, she thought, a true Sith would see the opportunity here; they would have leapt to claim it. The shock of it should have had no effect, but it did.

A few were starting to wake up, though; she could feel their hunger growing…

She did not intend to give them that chance.

"Leave him," she ordered, "He has fallen. We must push on, forget him."

The others looked at her.

"Who put you in charge Farm Girl," one of the boys who had defeated her dueling exclaimed.

"You have no right to…"

Keera did not hesitate, she blasted him with Force lightning.

He flew back with a pained cry.

Before the others could recover and attack her, she had her training blade out, its blade powered to full.

She glared at the others.

 _Strike now,_ the dark voice in her advised; _they are in shock, looking for a leader._

 _Claim the mantle, show no mercy!_

She smiled cruelly.

"I would love to continue this debate," she said coldly, "Sadly we do not have the time. It is not getting any warmer out here, and I would much rather be on my way than waiting for my death out here."

She risked one final glance down.

"Are any of you really going to mourn Bryden? He chose this path again and again to torture us, _**all**_ of us. Today, it was the wrong choice, for him."

She held her sword at the ready, just in case, but she sensed no threat in the Force. The others were listening, even those who might have challenged for control.

She had struck first, and they knew it.

Most here were simply looking for a strong leader to serve.

Today, that would be Keera.

She put her blade away and began to move.

"Let us do this miserable path one last time," she said, "Tomorrow we shall take a _new_ path, one not chosen by vengeful fools."

She began to jog forward.

"Follow me, now," she shouted over her shoulder, "Or be left behind and forgotten, it makes no difference to me."

She pushed on, not even bothering to look back.

There was the briefest of moments that she thought they would not follow, that she was on her own, as always, then she the sound of boots on the hard stone.

Keera smiled.

 _A Sith takes control_ , she thought.

The others had grown too used to having someone tell them what to do, the Overseers, Bryden…

She shook her head.

They would need to learn to think for themselves if they wished to be more than what they were.

For now, they were hers.

That was all that mattered.

She almost giggled.

They were hers.

She had won.

IOI

The rest of the day passed like some hazy dream. Midday meal tasted as good as any holiday feast back home. Her classes with the overseers were…equally enjoyable.

Two hopefuls challenged her to meet them blade upon blade. She defeated both, despite the remaining stiffness in her shoulder and leg. She was still a bit rusty, but that would pass now that she finally out of her brace.

Adaz said nothing to her during their class, he seemed content to watch, watch and evaluate.

I'm back old man, she wanted to shout.

I've regained by strength. I'm back…!

…Whether you like it or not.

Phylon's class focused on building up mental shields, protecting oneself from mind manipulation and Sith spells. The irony of the lesson was not lost on Keera. She had studied this particular lesson almost religiously since her first time playing Obey me. It was old news to her…

…If only you shared such knowledge with Bryden. Maybe he would be standing here instead of me.

She basked in the glow of that.

She was here, her enemy was gone.

That was all that mattered.

As night settled in, she returned to her quarters, returned and continued to explore the words of Darth Hecaetus.

Perhaps there was more to be gained here, she thought, perhaps I can get an idea of how to proceed next.

She had been reading for about an hour when someone knocked at her door. She reached out with the Force, recognizing who it was.

She leapt out of bed, summoning her training saber to her hand with a gesture.

Considering what had happened last time, she thought it good not to greet this guest unarmed.

She undid the lock and opened the door.

Overseer Adaz entered without any greeting, it was all she could do to get out of the pure blood's way.

"Close the door, young one;" he said in a low voice, "We must speak privately.

She obeyed, but did not take her hand off her weapon.

What is this now, she wondered.

She turned to face him, giving him an arched look.

For the briefest of moments the two sized each other up, the room was thick with tension.

"I have a gift for you my student," Adaz said holding up something wrapped in heavy cloth, "To honor your ascension today."

Keera almost laughed.

"Your student," she said grimly, "You throw me to the sharks, you let the other hopefuls beat me down, and say nothing, and now…you seek to win back my affection with a gift?"

The older Sith chuckled.

"Your affection is not needed, he said, "Only that you continued to walk the path I've set you on."

He glanced down at her bed, at the open book sitting there.

"Tell me, girl, did my master's words prove as valuable to you as they once did to me?"

Keera blinked.

 _ **Adaz** had left her the book...?_

 _But...hadn't he betrayed her?_

"Lord Hecaetus…he was your master?"

The old Sith nodded.

"He was Overseer and blade master here when I was a hopeful," Adaz said nodding, "He was not a Darth then, but even at that time, he knew how to gather followers."

Adaz grinned proudly.

"He won my loyalty, as I won yours."

Keera glared.

"You threw me into a pit with animals," she spat.

"I did, because it was a lesson that you needed to learn. I needed to awaken your killer instinct. You needed to let go of that "It is good for the Empire" attitude you possessed, and embrace your own desires, your own wants."

He nodded a pleased expression on his face.

"By destroying Bryden, you did just that. My Lord Hecaetus would have seen you as a worthy disciple, worth rising into the highest ranks of the Sith."

Keera considered what he said.

She…she was still angry, but she understood what had happened, why Adaz had done what he had done.

And what had he done. Blossom, her father's words came to her unbidden.

All he has done is turn you into a murderer.

She ignored those words.

Be silent, Dad, she thought.

You are gone, stay that way.

She smiled at Adaz, her tormentor and savior.

He cast me down so that I could find my way up.

There was value in that.

"What became of Lord Hecaetus, master," she asked, "The book ends without saying?"

Adaz sighed.

"He reached too high, some say," the blade master answered, "He rose high enough that he thought himself ready to challenge a member of the Dark Council, tried to take his rival's seat."

Adaz shook his head.

"Darth Marr proved too strong that day. He killed my lord in single combat. We few disciples scattered, doing what we could to preserve our lord's vision, we waited, training young people such as you to carry on our master's work and vision."

"And what vision is that?"

Adaz sneered.

"Corruption: Hecaetus did not wish to see the Jedi destroyed, he wanted them converted. Like Exar Kun so long ago, he sought to bring as many Padawans over to our side as possible. He wished them all to go forth and slay their masters. He wanted to remake the Jedi Order in our image."

Keera shivered.

The thought setting the Jedi against themselves appealed to her as well.

Make them fall, she thought, imagine what it would feel like for a master to have to face his own student, someone he loved and trusted. To feel the betrayal, the loss, and know that if they failed their apprentice would go on to slay many of their Jedi brothers and sisters.

What a grand idea, she thought.

What a grand vision.

Keera grinned.

She wanted to be a part of that.

I will need to be a lord to help with that mission," she said.

Adaz nodded.

"I know," he said, "Allow me to offer you something to aid you on your journey."

The blade master undid the cloth wrappings, opening the package he held.

Keera's blue eyes widened at what he held.

A Sith war blade, form the days before lightsabers had been the Siths' weapon of choice.

"Oh master," she purred, "It is beautiful!"

He offered it to her; she took the hilt with her left hand as she set down her training saber with her right.

The blade far thinner than most such weapons she had seen, of course those had all been pictures in books, to hold the real thing was something more. The hilt fit her hand like a glove."

"Do you like it?" Adaz asked.

She nodded.

He beamed with pride.

"It has been in my family for generations. Made for a female warrior of my bloodline in ancient times, and passed down from parent to child ever since."

Adaz' golden eyes darkened.

"I have no children, my line will die with me, but this blade must continue. Your bloodline is just beginning; I welcome the knowledge that it will pass to your offspring and theirs."

Keera nodded, though the thought of having offspring did not seem certain, she still had a long ways to go in her training.

Anything could happen.

She did not say this; she accepted the gift for what it was.

"Thank you, my master," she said bowing in gratitude.

Her smile then turned evil.

"I can't wait to bloody it."

"You will get your chance soon enough," he promised, "We have a transport coming in tomorrow. It will take the last of the rabble off world, those unworthy to be squad leaders. A hundred new hopefuls will be arriving as well, students with the potential to become Sith."

Keera's smile widened.

"You and Master Phylon will need someone to guide them."

"We will indeed, training groups will be needed to separate the weak from the strong.

He removed something else from the cloth that had hid her new sword.

A red squad leader's sash.

"Congratulations my young student," he said, "Or should I say squad leader."

Squad Leader Keera bowed her head as she took the sash from his hand.

"I will make you proud, master," he said, "I will sift through this rabble; find the gems hidden among them."

"I know you will, my dear." He said.

"For the Empire."

She almost laughed.

"Yes, my master, for the Empire."


	13. What is in a Name?

**Chapter 13: What's in a Name?**

Squad Leader.

It was not a position that Keera had thought much about. The squad leaders were simply an obstacle to be endured her first few months at the Academy. She did her best to stay out of their way and off their scanners.

She had lost count of all the hopefuls she had seen the squad leaders humble. All those left crawling, almost to the point of begging for their lives.

She had been fortunate never to find herself in such a place.

Gaining the attention of a senior student at Fury 9 had not been a good idea; she had seen evidence of that again and again. So she had kept her head down, avoiding all but her own squad leader. The late and unlamented Bryden had been bad enough; she had had no desire to make any other enemies.

Now, through her actions and rising power, she found herself _among_ the senior students. She was a squad leader for a new crop of hopefuls.

She did her best to be…worthy of that title.

She stood with her fellows as the transport carrying the next group of hopefuls arrived. No sooner had the doors opened than they advanced, herding these nerfs into the slaughterhouse that was Fury 9.

The first day, she thought with a hint of a smile.

Let the culling begin!

 _How many of these students will die? How many will be left broken and forgotten on the course?_

It would be her job to make sure that only the best of worst made it back.

It was a task she took seriously.

"Look at this trash, Keera," a squad leader named Obara said with a sneer. The blonde haired girl shook her.

"Have you ever seen such a waste of space?"

Keera chuckled.

"Yeah," she said dryly, "Us, when _**we**_ arrived seven months ago."

Her fellow squad leader snorted.

"Speak for yourself, Farm Girl. I was _**never**_ so weak."

Keera shrugged.

Unlike many of her fellows, she could still admit how weak she had been when she had first arrived. She had been lost and in pain, still mourning her parents, and the loss of her little sisters, with only the desire for revenge to keep her going.

Though that desire was useful, and _**still**_ remained within her, other desires had grown to rival it in the past few months.

She still sought to become Sith, but her motivations had changed, they had grown. It was no longer about simply slaying a powerful rival.

She _**yearned**_ for power, knowledge, and a high place among her fellows in the order. Those desires had become a hunger, an almost insatiable appetite for Sith secrets and a will to dominate those around her.

She was quite eager to indulge that appetite.

And latest batch of hopefuls would help sate it.

She reached out with the Force as she and the others divided the hundred new students into their training groups. She was trying to sense the strongest among them, trying to find those most likely to succeed. As always a few aliens had made the journey here, looking for more than to simply survive within the Empire's border.

They had a hard road ahead of them, and it would be her place to make it hard, to force them to adapt or die.

She was up to the challenge.

She took three of these, a Zabrak female, a pink skinned humanoid, and a blue skinned boy with glowing red eyes.

As she inspected her ten charges she shook her head. They were so green, none of them had any idea what they were about to face.

She almost pitied them, _**almost.**_

They will learn or they will die.

Succeed or perish…that was the way of the Sith.

She ignored their questions as they formed up behind her; it was not her place to answer. Soon these students, these pests, would stand before Adaz and Phylon.

 _They_ would let them know what was expected of them.

She led them into the mountain. Phylon and Adaz stood in the same place they had the day that she and her fellows had arrived all those months ago.

Phylon did his welcoming speech. Telling the new hopefuls how pathetic they all were, and how they would likely die here rather than become Sith. Adaz was equally as cold, but Keera now understood that was a facade.

The blade master was already evaluating this lot, trying to pick out who might serve his needs best.

Somewhere among them, her replacement was waiting. The one who would act as Adaz' next aid and top student.

Keera felt no jealousy about that. She fully intended to be away from this place before Adaz picked a new favorite over her.

In fact she was determined to graduate from here before the year was out.

Squad leader was nice, but the power of the position was too limited. She aspired to more than simply leading a group of hopefuls over _the course_ every day.

She had no desire to become comfortable with her new position, to be a big fish in a little pond. The next step of her training would take her far from here. She already had Adaz' blessing, now she just needed Phylon's

The next step in her training was to become a Sith Acolyte. It was now her goal to find her way to one of the first level academies. She liked to think that she was good enough to bypass these and go straight to Korriban, but she knew better.

She did not have the wealth or the name to make such a jump. The only way it could happen is if she did something so grand that not even the most jaded of overseer could deny her. Alas, such grandeur was not found here on Fury 9.

No, she would have to keep climbing the rungs of the ladder.

Soon enough she would impress Adaz and Phylon enough to send her on to the next stage of her training.

It would happen, she knew it would.

She could feel it.

 _I just need a little more time…_

… _just a little more time._

She returned from her first run on the course as Squad Leader with only a single hopeful lost, the blue skinned boy with the red eyes had fallen into a steam vent, his cry cut short by the intense heat.

Of the nine that remained, they looked more than winded, three ran off to retch in a corner, while the others simply lay there, too exhausted to move.

Keera sneered down at them.

She had tried to inspire them during the run, shouting for them to simply let go. Embrace their anger and pain, and let it lift them up, the dark side's power was infinite. All that was needed was the will to seize it.

She made mental note of the few still standing, those whose affinity to the Force kept them on their feet. She made note of them, and would take their names to Master Adaz tomorrow. It would aid him in his search for more hopefuls who were both willing and worthy to carry out Lord Hecaetus' work.

As for herself, she left her hopefuls to find their strength and make their way to their rooms. Dinner would be ready in an hour, and as always, if you missed it you went hungry.

As was expected she and the other Squad Leaders joined the two Overseers at a welcome feast for the new hopefuls. None of those hopefuls shared in the feast of course, the delicious fare was for senior students and overseers only.

It was just another part of the training, meant to grow resentment in the newcomers' hearts.

Resentment could turn to hate if properly cultivated, and hate could lead to great power.

 _Let them hate us,_ Keera thought, _in the end we are just giving them power._

Whether they come to understand that or not depends entirely on them.

It was not fair, but that was the whole point.

Succeed or perish.

The way of the Sith was _**never**_ fair.

She ate hearty that night, laughing and joking with her fellow squad leaders.

Tomorrow the real work would begin…the true training…

Then they would see what they truly had to work with.

IOI

Another month passed.

On the blasted field outside of the academy, two warriors faced off.

Keera drew her war blade, the darkside energies crackling from tip to hilt.

Adaz drew his lightsaber, its crimson blade looking even brighter in the fading light.

Her eyes narrowed as they began to circle. Her master twirled the blade, changing his stance, giving her no clue what form he would strike at her with. She dropped into her Soresu guard and prepared for his attack.

The blade master leapt at her with barely any warning. His blade became a crimson blur as she fell back blocking his attack.

The war blade turned back each of his strikes; It still amazed her that it could do that. She was unsure what metal had been used to forge it, but whatever it was, it did have the strength to withstand a stroke from a lightsaber.

That alone made the blade master's gift to her worth its weight in gold.

IOI

In the last month she had done her duty well for the academy, she had lost several students to the course, and "random" accidents, but beyond that the survivors were making progress. After that first day, she had pulled her students aside, offering them her advice, what they needed to do if they wished to survive here.

"Once I stood where you stand now," she informed them, "fought as feebly as you, struggled as desperately as you."

She smiled fiercely.

"When I finally accepted the dark side, that all changed. The Force is not something that you simply luck into, you may have an affinity for it, but that will not save you here. What _**will**_ save you is preparation, training, and a willingness to learn. So train hard, work with your blade, study in the library. The more you know the quicker you will adapt and grow here.

 _It was good advice_ she thought, _if they chose to use it or not it was up to them. Some would likely reject what she offered out of resentment towards her._

Let them, you evolve or you survive, there was no other option.

She accepted that now.

It was not her place to coddle these hopefuls, only to show them the door.

It was up to them if they were willing to step through it.

Phylon was not entirely happy with her training methods she knew. The Force master tended to enjoy culling his students far more than he should have.

 _You need to teach them to fear you, girl,_ he advised.

How else will you maintain discipline?

She knew that most of her fellow Squad Leaders kept their charges in a constant state of fear. Most of them were hated, and few hopefuls dared go to them for help.

It was a petty cruelty, Keera thought, useless if the students were going to learn anything here.

Fear could be a means to end, she knew that...and it did keep the rabble in line, but…

It was not the only lever one could pull.

Fear was useful, she knew that well, but awe could be equally inspiring…

..And it was awe that she was cultivating.

"Do you have something against fear?" Master Adaz had asked her during one of their duels.

"Terror is _**nice**_ ," she answered, "Intimidation is _**better**_ , simple fear only invites plotting, it can unify the weak against a common enemy; it could inspire a group of my lessers into working together to bring me down, but then they would never learn, never grow. Intimidation, however, when done correctly, inspires the individual, they think they have a chance against me one on one, their pride remains intact which drives them even harder to become stronger, to try and bring me down."

She had grinned then.

"I know I show what I can do more than the other squad leaders, but this is a training tool as well. I want them to see what I can do, want it for themselves. Until they can match my skills, they remain subservient….malleable.

Her grin widened.

"I find I like teaching, master."

Adaz smirked.

"You are sounding more and more like a Sith each day," he applauded, "You'll be on your way to _Lord's Reach_ or _Butcher's Clearing_ soon enough, I have foreseen it."

The thought of being sent to one of the higher academies made her mouth water.

The secrets she could learn, the prestige she could win.

The thought was intoxicating.

She wanted to know **everything** about the dark side.

She _wanted_ it all.

She wanted to drown in darkness, to cocoon herself in the Force and the teaching of the dark side, and when she finally emerged, be something more terrifying than had ever existed, and when she did…

…even a Lord like Darth Feer would tremble.

IOI

Despite her higher position, Adaz still offered her one on one lessons, duels against those superior to her would only sharpen her skills.

He held back little now and she was in awe of his skills. Master Adaz was a true Sith master, despite only possessing the title of overseer. She suspected that he had mastered all seven forms of lightsaber combat, he may even been one of the best duelists of this age.

Of course, that may only be her lack of experience talking; she would have to see what other Sith swordsmen was capable of. If they were stronger, she would need to seek them out, learn from them.

Their duels usually lasted and hour or two, they would get lost in the hum and whirl of blades and be left sweating and breathless, despite the cold. Keera never landed a blow on her master; he was too good for that. Yet she had only suffered minor burns as well, her skill had progressed enough that he had not landed any successful attacks on her.

He _could_ be holding back, she thought; if so that was his choice.

He wanted her to leave this rock and make her mark on the Empire.

In this…they shared a common goal.

The duel ended as it always did, she felt her responses slowing; her defense no longer as crisp as it had been in the beginning.

Sighing, she lowered her blade and offered her neck in submission.

Adaz nodded, and powered down his blade.

"Another excellent duel, my student," he said with no small amount of pride, "You hold your own, but are not afraid to withdrawal when you sense the battle turning against you."

"You continue to impress."

She basked under his praise.

"I have no desire to spend the night in a kolto tank if I get cocky, master," she replied, "And besides, I'm getting closer, I almost cut you several times."

He nodded grimly.

"You surprised me. I underestimated you."

"I will not make that mistake again."

They returned to the academy as the blast door first began to rumble shut for the night. Master and pupil had little to say to each other, they had grown comfortable in each other's presence. Both had come to respect the other's power.

The animosity she had felt after her trial of blood was gone. She had not forgotten, but she had come to accept why he had done what he did. Typically a Sith student was expected to destroy their master when they grew strong enough, to prove that they had truly advanced to the next level.

Here on Fury 9 that was not necessary. Adaz's place, his task was to make sure that his students left stronger than he, or at least have the potential to be, more prepared to face the challenges of the Empire.

Keera felt no need to compete with the one who had given her so much. She respected him, and would only try to harm him if he gave her no other choice.

Soon she would be allowed to leave; Adaz would remain behind, training the next group of future acolytes.

She would always be grateful to him, both for herself, and the Empire.

Brave men were always needed in the Emperor's service, and they always would.

They passed several hopefuls as they made their way towards the living quarters. She heard the hushed whispers as they passed.

Keera had recently made a name for herself by maiming one of her students during a duel. The fight had ended, and the hopeful had surrendered. She had lowered her blade and just begun to walk away, showing her dominance, when he used the Force to chuck a piece of rubble at her head.

If it had struck home, with the speed that he had thrown it. She likely would have ended up with a broken skull.

She likely would have been dead in minutes.

She had only just sensed it, sensed it, and managed to dodge.

She spun on the student, her eyes blazing.

How dare a mere hopeful attack her, _**HER**_ , from behind!

 _He_ _ **would**_ _be punished!_

She blasted him with force lightning, making him writhe in agony.

Yet, still, she knew that was **not** enough.

She stood over him, her war blade drawn.

"That was not nice, worm," she snarled.

He spat on her boots.

She sneered and raised her blade.

"Your Force throw **was** impressive," she said, "It shows both finesse and determination. Congratulations, you have shown initiative."

Her smile widened.

"For _that_ reason, _**I**_ shall show restraint."

The blade fell.

She had been content to simply cut off his hand. He howled in pain, as the other students watched in horror.

She smirked and leaned down so that only he would be able to hear her.

"I could have taken your fool head," she growled, "Remember that."

She had left him then to limp down to the medical room. A war blade did not cauterize like a lightsaber.

The droids were able to reattach the hand, but the hopeful would be hurt and vulnerable for at least a week.

Keera knew what that was like, what an informative experience it could be, to be injured at Fury 9. She had come back stronger…

She was eager to see how the boy came back from it.

As they walked, Adaz features became thoughtful; Keera could sense her master had something on his mind.

"Master?" she asked.

He sighed.

"Have you decided on a name, yet?" he asked.

Keera blinked unsure of exactly what he meant.

She laughed dismissively.

"Are we referring to those hypothetical offspring of mine," she said dryly.

"We are referring to **you** , my student," he clarified, "You are aware of our tradition, yes, that a hopeful takes a new name when he or she graduates and becomes an acolyte. That a student lets go of the weakness of their past life and embraces the strength of the new."

Keera nodded.

She had been giving it some thought.

"I thought of choosing a variation of Lord Hecaetus' name," she said, "To show my willingness to advance his work, but the more I thought of it, I think not. I mean no offense to your master, master."

She smiled sheepishly.

"I believe that a Sith needs to follow her own star."

He nodded in agreement.

"That is true," he agreed, "A Sith should blaze her own path."

He shook his head.

"I met many fellow Sith during our invasion of the Republic. Many of them never found the strength to truly cast their old selves aside. In some small corner of their mind, they still held on to who they had once been, and what they had lost during their journey to become Sith."

His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"It was a failure on their master's part. They thought leaving that one tiny kernel of the past would keep their apprentice subservient; all it did was make them into a ticking bomb. When confronted by something from their past, a friend, a loved one, these failures would turn violently on their masters, and all to protect something that no longer existed. It was pathetic."

Keera considered his words.

His eyes found hers.

His expression was as hard as stone.

"Are you prepared to do that?" he asked, "Are you prepared to let Keera Lylos die, and be reborn as a true member of the Sith order?"

Keera bit her lip as she considered how best to answer.

She was not entirely sure that she was ready.

It was Keera's pain that had brought her here. It was Keera's quest for vengeance that had brought her to the dark side.

Was she truly ready to cast Keera aside?

She found herself thinking of what he had said, of the dangers of the past coming back to haunt.

Her belly twisted.

What if she encountered Beric on her journey? What would she say to her older brother when they met?

As always the dark side provided an answer.

 _You would be wise to kill him. He, the love you bear for him, would be a chain that would drag you down. When you finally face your enemy, there must be no weakness within, no doubt or fear._

The loneliness of the truly powerful!

The thought, what she thought of as best…it _frightened_ her.

It sickened her.

 _Kill my own brother…?_

… _The last member of my family!_

 _His death will fuel you as never before. The knowledge that you did this to be strong when you face your enemy will make you stronger than even you can imagine!_

She had started down this path for justice, and in the name of love.

Did she have to kill that same love to achieve her goal?

Was that the sacrifice that the dark side demanded?

Was that the price of true freedom?

 _The Force shall free me._

That is what the Sith code promised.

Did she have the strength to break that last chain?

Did she dare?

She looked at her master, her mentor.

"I will do what is necessary, my master," she answered, "What you would expect of me."

She tried to smile evilly.

"I will make you proud."

He snorted, perhaps sensing the lie in her words.

"The moment of truth approaches, girl. There is no place for second guessing among the Sith. Put your past to rest, cast off the girl from Oridanna and be prepared to move on. Take your new name, your _**Sith**_ name, and move forward, towards your destiny."

Keera nodded.

As always, Adaz had offered her good advice.

 _Let it go, let it all go._

It was the only way forward.

"What will my final trial _**be**_ , master?"

He smiled slyly.

"You will see soon enough, my eager student."

"You will see."


	14. Rebirth

**Chapter 14: Rebirth**

Keera's final trial at Fury 9 came a day after her sixteenth birthday.

It had almost passed unnoticed. Days and weeks tended to blend together at the academy. Survival and the gathered of power took precedence over remembering what day it was. The only way she had known at all was that she heard some of the academy staff talking, going over what they would need to requisition from the Sith Ministry of supply before the next transport came.

The realization of it, it gave Keera pause.

She spent much of the day reflecting on what had occurred, and what might have been had the Force been kinder.

My birthday, she thought to herself.

This is not how I imagined it would be.

The fact that she had reached it at all was significant, she had come close to death several times here, the fact that she was here and had endured.

It sent a powerful message. Had she stayed on Oridanna, a sixteenth birthday on her homeworld was big deal to be sure.

Sixteen was the age of adulthood on Oridanna, it was the age that she was expected to finally take interest in the future, and decide what she would do with her life. Beric had celebrated his sixteenth by sneaking out of the house that night and enlisting in the Imperial navy. Father had been furious, but by that point there had been nothing he could do, the deed was done, and Beric was of age.

In the end, he had been forced to accept his eldest son's choice.

Keera's destiny would not have been so cut and dried. Had Beric stayed, he would have begun training to take his father's place as overseer one day. It would have been expected. Keera would not necessarily have been expected to take up the role herself. As a young woman, father would have still had a say in who she would eventually marry. Had he had his choice it would have been one of the wealthy landowners. A good match to be sure, but she doubted that she would have been truly happy with it.

No, she probably would have pushed to find a job somewhere in Orid's government office. Even if she was not likely to become an overseer, she would have liked to do more than simply been a bargaining chip to help father increase his prestige.

She didn't think that he would have resisted that choice, he might have even been proud of her for making it.

Still that would have come later; there would have been plenty of time to make such a decision.

Even now she could imagine her father's face, that indulgent smile when he wanted her to just set aside her duties and simply have fun.

"This is your day, Blossom," he would have said, "Try to enjoy it."

They would have celebrated her family and her. Ro likely would have joined them. It would have been expected, considering that he likely would have stepped up his attempts to court her, and thereby win her hand in marriage.

Thinking about that now just made the anger within her simmer. It never faded now, not completely, the dark side fed off her emotions, and anger and hate were the strongest.

And in return, the dark side made _**her**_ strong.

She still had no idea if Ro and known what his father had planned to do, if it had even been planned. Of course, did it matter anymore? What had happened had happened. Her family was gone, and Golan Wilkes had become overseer.

The mere thought of…of that man seizing such a reward made her blood boil.

The dark side surged inside of her, wiping away any thought of what might have been. Her family was gone; there would be no party tonight, no gifts, or family meals. No would-be suitor at her side trying to convince her that they should spend their lives together.

This Sith are my future, she realized, this is the direction I have decided to take my life. Any chance of living what some might call, a normal life ended the very moment her Force powers manifested.

And in truth, she would not have wanted to return to her old life if she could, not after everything she had seen, and what she had done.

I know my destiny, she thought, the Force chose it for me. I will spend my life wielding a red lightsaber for both my power, and the power of the Empire, the glory of my Emperor.

It was a certainty that most people she had grown up with would never know.

It was the Force's gift to her.

She smiled at that thought.

Happy birthday to me.

Now…all that remained was her final trial.

She awaited it eagerly, performing her duties, but waking each day with a sense of anticipation.

Now, all that was needed was her teachers' blessing, it would be their gift to her.

Less than a day later, that gift finally arrived.

She doubted that the overseers realized what date it was, and that it was special to her, and suspected that they would not have cared had they known.

After she spent the previous day reflecting on her life, she came to welcome the action a new dawn brought.

She awoke that morning all a tingle, there was a sense of anticipation in the air, and it made her almost giddy.

She was not sure what that meant, but had her suspicions.

She prepared herself as best she could for what was to come.

As was expected, the overseers called all the squad leaders into their office before the day began. Both of them were in agreement that the running of the course should happen this afternoon. It was not unusual for Adaz and Phylon to make such a decision; it was their right as heads of the academy.

The Squad Leaders could do little but obey.

Keera spent the day working with her squad, helping them with their sword training, assisting Adaz in guiding them through the latest series of sequences he had taught them.

She enjoyed this time, savored the improvement her people were showing. There were only six of them now; she knew that soon the Overseers would choose to combine her group with one of the others. Then she would have to work in tandem with a fellow squad leader.

That did not please her.

She had made no friends here; her focus had been entirely on completing her training and becoming a full acolyte. That and her shaming after her trial of blood had left her with little warmth towards her fellow students.

No, she would not enjoy pooling her resources with another. She hated sharing.

You need to learn to work with others, Phylon had advised her; after all, if you do become a lord, you will have to work with your fellows if the Emperor calls on you to do so."

Keera had agreed, grudgingly.

The Force master had laughed then.

Your greed will get you in trouble one day, child.

Do try to keep it under control.

She acknowledged his advice, but was still not pleased about it.

Why shouldn't she be protective of her power?

 _Was it not the way of the Sith to seize power from those not strong enough to hold it?_

 _Why should she not seek to keep what was hers?_

After midday meal the squad leaders took their charges out on the course.

Keera, still feeling that tingling sensation, that tremor in the Force, decided to keep her group's workout light today. She chose one of the quicker coursers, the simpler ones.

Some of her fellows might have seen that as weakness, but Keera did not care.

She would not exhaust herself this close to…to…whatever it was that was coming.

She intended to be ready.

As they made their way back to the academy, they were all surprised to be met by Overseer Adaz, not back at the academy but on the course itself.

 _Something has happened,_ Keera thought.

 _Why else would the master make the journey out here when he does not have to?_

"Hold," he called out as they approached.

Keera's blue eyes met his golden ones. She gave him a questioning look.

The overseer nodded.

She felt a shiver run down her spine.

No words passed between them, but they did not need to.

She knew **why** he was here.

Adaz called out to one of her squad, a student that had impressed him recently, he asked the boy to take over and lead the group back to the academy.

He turned to Keera.

"I have a special task for your squad leader," he informed the others, "She will rejoin you later."

The overseer said nothing more until the other students were out of earshot.

He looked down on her, his eyes blazing with barely contained anticipation.

"Is it time?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Yes," he said, "this is a day you shall remember for the rest your life."

She nodded, feeling the excitement building in her.

 _Her final trial, her_ _ **graduation**_ _trial!_

 _She could hardly wait!_

He handed her a data pad, and a large bag, she took both not quite sure what he expected of her.

She quickly scanned the date pad, it contained a map, with a marked off location, not far from where the course emptied out into the valley that led back to the academy.

She gave her master an arched look.

"I head to these coordinates, yes?" she inquired.

He nodded.

"Then what? What is this place?"

His expression remained grim.

"The place described on the map is a Sith shrine, built by the first lords to have settled here, the ones that founded this academy. You shall go to this shrine, sit before it, bask in the power of the dark side, and wait."

She nodded.

"And what exactly am I waiting for?"

"For the last squad to return from the course, it should not take long," he replied, "You shall remain hidden from all prying eyes; wait until all but a single hopeful remains outside of the academy."

He smiled slyly.

"There is always one, after all, one that has still not embraced what we are trying to teach, one who still struggles to understand what he or she might become."

"And when I come across this hopeful?"

Adaz chuckled, his smile turning into something ugly, ugly and cruel.

"I think you can guess what happens next, my student," he said, "This one hopeful stands between you, and being named an acolyte of the Sith order."

"I think you _**know**_ what to do in such a situation."

Keera blinked.

She…she did know what was expected of her, but at the same time…

This…this seemed somewhat unreal.

"Who will this last hopeful be?" she asked.

"The last person to return to the academy," he answered, "Name, species, or gender does not matter to me, and it should not matter to you."

He pointed down at the bag in her hand.

"I think you can guess what the sack is for," he said, "Phylon and I require evidence that you have completed this trial.

"You will bring back the head of this hopeful, only then…will you be a full acolyte."

Keera pursed her lips.

This…this was not quite what she expected.

On the surface, it was no real challenge, not for someone of her skills, but…still…

"That is it?" she asked.

"That is it," he said.

She shook her head.

"Not much of challenge."

He laughed.

"For most students that pass through this academy, that may be true, but this is not about them, it is about you, Keera Lylos."

He gave her a cool look.

"This is a trial of the spirit. We must see what you are truly made of, my student. We know that you will kill to defend yourself, and we know that you will kill an enemy that dares oppose you. What your masters ask of you now is something quite different.

"Today, you kill a random victim, an innocent if you will, not that many that come here _**are**_ innocent, but we make do with what we have, and you will do it because it is in your best interest."

He put a large crimson skinned hand on her shoulder.

"Can you end someone who has done you no harm? Can you end a life because it is the only way for you to advance, not for the empire, not your people, but for you, and only you?"

"Can you turn your passions inward, think of yourself first and foremost, and truly embrace the dark side."

Keera nodded.

"I can do this, my master," she promised, "It will be done."

He smiled again.

"Then see to it, young one, go to the shrine and wait, your final trial has begun, and do not return without your prize.

"Both Phylon and I are expecting it."

Keera nodded again.

 _Go to the shrine, and wait, and when the time was right…_

… _strike._

It seemed so simple.

She could do it.

She had to.

IOI

The journey across the blasted terrain was easy enough. There was really nothing between where she began and the Sith Shrine.

As she made the journey she began playing mental games with herself, psyching herself up for what was to come.

The task was simple, too simple really.

Pick out the weakest of the pack, and slay it.

Simple.

 _Are you an animal then_ , her conscience chided, _you really feel no shame over this? Whoever that person is…they don't deserve what you are about to do._

She tried to ignore that voice, focus on the trial, and what was needed to complete it.

She used the Force to increase her speed, it was getting late. The sun was starting to dip below the horizon. The temperature was already starting to drop to uncomfortable levels.

She would not have much time.

She found the Sith shrine the master described easy enough, a tall rocky tower, built in the middle of the blasted lands, Sith glyphs emblazoned on its base. The area around it was littered with bones, and bodies, most of them humanoid, From the way they had fallen she guessed that they had died from the cold, curled up, fighting to stay warm, only to surrender and die in their sleep.

She tried to ignore the fact that most of them wore the remains of hopeful training clothes; a few even wore the faded red sashes of squad leaders.

The sight made her shudder.

The price a hopeful paid for failure.

Still…these deaths had contributed something; she felt a heady feeling as she came within only a few feet of shrine. The dark side was very strong here. She reached out to it, basking in its glow, the low hum of power that always seemed to be most prevalent where the Force was so strong.

She reached out with her senses, feeling the other hopefuls nearby. The last few groups were making their way back. It would not be long before her prey came into view.

She would be ready when they finally arrived.

She kneeled down in the black sand, meditating and reaching out with her emotions. She drew strength from the death and despair here, focused it and used it to enhance her own senses.

It would not be long now, soon she would…

The world seemed to fall out from under her. She gasped, opened her eyes and stood up.

She blinked in surprise!

She was no longer standing at the shrine.

She was home. She was back on Oridanna!

Her head spun.

She stood only a few steps from her home. If this was a dream, it was the most life-like dream she had ever experienced. She could smell food cooking; she felt the warm wind on her face. The gentle sound of the long grass as it swayed in the breeze.

Then…another sound drew her attention, drew it to their tiny garage, the sound of tools and metal.

She walked towards it, somehow knowing what she was going to find within…

…Knowing _**who**_ she would find.

Her father was there, bent over his old swoop bike, trying to fix the stabilizer again.

She smiled slightly.

 _He never could get it calibrated just right._

He must have heard her approach; he looked up when she entered. His expression was warm but guarded.

"Daddy?" she called out.

He smiled sadly at her.

"Hello, Blossom," he said, "It has been awhile."

Part of her wanted to run to him, to fall crying into his arms. She…she could not believe this, she was so grateful to see him again after all this time.

The other part, the Sith part, of her knew to keep her distance, too many nightmares about this place made her wary of any joy she felt right now.

He shook his head.

"Look at you, my sweet little girl," he said, "You are a proper young woman now," his voice was tinged with a mix of joy and sadness.

He sighed.

"Never thought I would ever see you wearing Sith robes though. Imagine it, my sweet blossom, one of the masters."

She looked down, she was indeed clad in robes of the Sith, a lightsaber clipped to her belt.

The sight disturbed her.

"I'm not going to attack you am I?" she asked, "Are you going to attack me?"

"I'm not going to attack you," he promised, "Are you going to attack me?"

"I don't want to," she reassured him, her eyes stinging with emotion.

"Dad," she said, "What is going on?"

"You are a clever girl," he said with a sad smile, "I think you can guess what is going on."

He stepped away from the swoop, walked towards her but stopped just out of reach.

"It is time to make a choice, Blossom," he said, " _ **Your**_ choice, only you can decide where you go from here."

She nodded.

This was not simply a dream then, it was the Force, part of her trial.

She needed to make the right decision.

"I don't have any choice, Dad. I know what must be done."

"You know what the masters told you," he said, "That is not the same thing."

"I'm doing this for _**you,**_ for mom and the girls, to give you _justice_."

He shook his head.

"That may have been the case in the beginning, but it isn't what drives you now."

It looked like he might have reached out to her, but he stopped just short.

His expression was hard, disapproving.

It…hurt.

"Look at what the masters have done to you, Keera, they've turned you into murderer, and now they want you to kill again just to see if you will."

He was glaring at her now.

"You can't kill that hopeful, Keera. It is wrong, and you know it. That is not something the girl I raised could do."

She felt her temper begin to flicker.

"I have _**no**_ choice," she repeated, "I…I can't just walk away now. If I did, I could not simply go back to the academy, they wouldn't have me back."

"Then don't return to the academy."

"I'll _**die**_ if I don't," she spat.

"Will you," he asked, "You have learned so much in the last year, Blossom. Your powers have grown strong, is there nothing that you could do to protect yourself, to survive one night in that place?"

She considered that, it would be tricky, make no mistake, but…

If she kept to one of the volcanic fields it _**was**_ possible, the warmth would protect her from the freezing cold; the Force would do the rest. If she lasted until morning, there was a chance. She might even be able to stow away on a ship, they were always coming and going from the academy.

She could get off world, she _could_ leave.

Strangely enough, part of her welcomed the idea, was excited by it.

 _Was it even possible?_

She looked into her father's eyes, could see what decision _**he**_ wanted her to make.

"Where would I go?" she asked, "what would I do?"

"Whatever you want," he replied, "Can you honestly not see that all the training you have been given would give you an edge, the means to survive where others could not. Your skills would serve you well, and best of all, they would be all yours, and yours alone. You would not have to cut away any more of your soul to have more."

She thought about that, thought of the pain she had suffered since coming her, the games the masters and the other students had played.

Those games had made her strong, but they had also showed her another side of herself, a side that she did not like very much.

She thought it was that side that she would need to survive, to take her place among those with true power in the Empire, but what if it was not?

What if she could have a different life?

"You could do it," he father said, "You could go anywhere, do anything."

She winced.

"I would have to flee the Empire."

"It is a big galaxy, Blossom, believe me, it is far bigger than even you realize. You could find a new place, a place where you would be accepted, and respected."

He gave her a sad smile.

"Your mother and I, we only wanted the best for you. It is all we ever wanted."

"And yet you seek to deny her what is hers by right?"

Keera jumped.

Her father looked over her shoulder, his eyes suddenly cold and angry.

"She doesn't need you," he growled, "Leave my daughter alone!"

She turned.

The man standing before her was familiar, though they had never met. Though he had gone gray, he still carried himself with both power and grace. His clothes marked him as a man of great wealth, a fine coat, breeches and silken shirt.

A lightsaber was clipped to his belt, held their by a dark blue sash.

He spoke like the Imperials that sometimes visited Oridanna, what the old timers had called a Dromund Kass accent. Yet, despite this, his eyes were anything but refined and gentlemanly.

They were cold, hard golden orbs that blazed with power, disdain, and hate.

Keera knew him, though they had never met, she had seen his picture in Overseer Adaz' book.

Darth Hecaetus.

The long death Sith Lord looked around the garage with disdain. His eyes once again fell on Keera and her father.

He did not look pleased.

"Would you toss it away, child," he asked her, "The power you have gained; the opportunities that are yours to claim?"

He shook his head.

"My slave thought you stronger than this."

Keera's eyes narrowed, her respect for Overseer Adaz overriding her fear and surprise at seeing the Sith Lord here.

"You're dead," she snarled.

"I am indeed," Hecaetus said, "But that does not mean that I cannot guide you, that I cannot stop you from making a terrible mistake."

"She does not belong to you, my lord," Keera's father said, trying to push his daughter behind him.

The Sith smiled.

"She does not belong to you, either," he replied, "She is a disciple of the dark side now, and beyond your petty ambitions."

Hecaetus looked at Keera, his gold eyes burning into hers.

"This man is beneath you. You are stronger than he ever was, and ever could be. You are a god among ants; do not let anyone else tell you different."

He smiled then, a sly wicked smile.

"You read my words, know what I attempted. My defeat was not failure, merely a lack of good timing. I was not the right person to complete my grand work, but you, dear girl; you may just be the one."

Keera shook her head, it suddenly felt muzzy again.

The dark side washed over her.

"You could be the one, child," Hecaetus continued, "You could be the one that ends the accursed Republic and the Jedi for all time, and if you did, the whole Empire would sing your name."

The Sith Master's eyes almost seemed to glow with anticipation.

"The dark side _**itself**_ would sing your name."

Keera thought about it, what he was offering. All the tales she had heard growing up about the stagnant Republic, and corrupt senators, and the Jedi filth that kept them in power.

The Jed were the bogey men of all the stories of her youth. Brown robed monsters that snatched unruly children out of their bed, and taught them to deny the very things that made life worth living.

Was it not worth it to end such creatures? Was the quest for power to save the Empire not worth it?

Keera found herself smiling now. She moved away from her father and towards her master's master.

"I could do it," she said, "I could continue your grand work."

"You could," Hecaetus agreed.

"The Force would set you free."

Her father grabbed her, he had heard enough, he spun her around, made her face him.

His eyes were full of fear now, it something she had never really seen before.

She sneered.

His weakness _**disgusted**_ her.

"He is trying to tempt you, Blossom, do not believe him. He is playing to your desires, to greed, to avarice."

Her father shook her, like he was trying to wake her from a nightmare.

"Don't be fooled, he doesn't want to set you free he wants to make you his slave, a slave to what he wanted in life."

He was almost pleading with her now, trying to draw her back into his promises of a life beyond what the masters offered.

"Follow his way, and all you will know is a life of fear and paranoia. You will not know who to trust. I never wanted that for you. I would never have given my life if I knew that was what you would choose.

Through the Force, she could feel desperation, her father was on the verge of begging; that was how deep his fear had become.

""Your mother and I, we only wanted what was best for you, for the girls, and for Beric."

He shook his head.

"Blossom, Keera, I beg of you, turn away from this path. You can find another way. You can have any kind of life you want. You can find happiness. You can find peace."

Keera frowned, and she did something she never would have done before Fury 9.

She glared at her father.

"Unhand me, old man," she growled, "You dare put your hands on your better."

Andur Lylos, the shadow of Andur Lylos released her.

"Keera," he whimpered, "Please."

She sneered at him.

"I will avenge you, Dad," she promised, "But I will no longer hide from my destiny. I will not deny what dark side offers me."

She turned away from him, darkness began to close in.

Darth Hecaetus was smiling, he was pleased.

"So you are not going to run away?" he asked, "You're not afraid of your desires, your greed…"

He chuckled.

"Avarice does not scare you?"

She smiled triumphantly.

"No, my lord," she said bowing her head.

"It does not.

The garage began to fade to black; her father's voice became quieter and quieter.

"Keera," he was trying to shout.

"Keera!"

She did not even look at him.

He was beneath her now.

"That is not my name," she murmured.

She closed her eyes, willing away the last of what she had once been, casting it aside.

It is time, young one." Hecaetus said.

She opened her eyes, and saw the blasted lands that sheltered Fury 9.

She grinned hungrily.

She still had a trial to complete.

She felt another presence out on the plain, one lone hopeful struggling to get back before the doors to the academy closed for the night.

She moved, drawing her war blade, the darkside energies crackling up the full length of the blade.

Her master's master was right.

It was time.

IOI

An hour later she slipped through the academy door just before it slammed shut for the night. In her right hand she held the bag that Adaz had given her.

She smiled as she walked past her fellow students. She did not even offer them a nod in greeting. They were beneath her now.

She was no longer a hopeful.

She had passed her final trial.

She strode right up to Phylon's quarters. She could sense the two masters inside, waiting for her.

She did not bother knocking; she simply triggered the lock with the Force.

The door slid open; she strode in like she owned the place.

Adaz and Phylon looked up from their discussion, any angry retort they might have had died when they saw what she carried.

Adaz grinned fiercely.

"Well done, young one," he proclaimed.

"Well done, indeed."

She smirked.

"The fool forgot his training saber," she informed them, "Someone should have warned him how…risky that is."

She shook her head.

He had tried to resist, and then…he had tried begging, both were ineffective, both fell on deaf ears.

She knew what was expected of her and she did not hesitate.

She showed no mercy.

She dropped the bag on Phylon's desk; it thumped heavily when it struck. A bit of red liquid leaked from the bag.

The portly Force Master looked up at her. He smirked…pleased.

"It seems that we shall lose two students today," he said, "One to course…"

He chuckled.

"…The other to _Butcher's Clearing_."

The girl beamed.

A next level academy, she thought triumphantly.

 _ **I did it!**_

"Your journey is just beginning, young one," he cautioned, "You are not Sith yet, but you are one step closer to unlocking your full potential."

"I am most eager, master," she said.

"I'm ready for a new challenge!"

"Make no mistake, girl," Phylon warned, "you will be challenged. You will face danger."

She laughed.

"Sounds fun."

Adaz put a fatherly hand on her shoulder.

"Congratulations, Acolyte," he said.

"Indeed," Phylon said, "A shuttle will take you off world this very evening. Return to your quarters and gather up your things. You will be taken to a space station for processing. I suggest you make use of the pleasure facilities there, celebrate your good fortune. What awaits you in Butcher's Clearing will not leave you much time to celebrate."

"I understand, Master," she said, "Thank you for your instruction, both of you."

Adaz gave her a hungry smile.

"May the Force serve you well," he said.

"May you find what you seek, young Keera," Phylon said.

The girl blinked.

Keera? She thought.

That wasn't her name.

She smirked.

She thought about her meeting with her father and Lord Hecaetus.

The dark lord warned her not to be afraid of her desire, of greed, and of avarice.

She would not be.

In fact, she would embrace them.

 _Avarice._

She bowed humbly to them for the last time.

"Keera is gone," she informed them, my name…is Avaryss. I _**am**_ Avaryss of the Sith."

Adaz nodded, pleased with her choice.

Phylon smirked.

"If we should meet again, girl, perhaps it will be Lord Avaryss."

She shrugged.

Why not?

 _Lord_ Avaryss, she thought.

Why stop there.

She shivered.

Why not _**Darth**_ Avaryss?

Yes, she thought.

 _Darth Avaryss: Dark Lord of the Sith._

It had a nice ring to it.


	15. Pleasure

**Chapter 15: Pleasure**

Avaryss was spellbound.

That was only the word to describe it. She had only just arrived on the space station, finally leaving the Fury 9 Academy behind. Her meager belongings, a change of clothes, a training saber, and her war blade, were safely at her side.

She had not known what to expect when she reached this place…

…she certainly would not have expected this.

IOI

The shuttle had left the academy in the dead of night. The hangar built into the side of the mountain opened and from there they had flown into the snowy night and from there…back into the even colder blackness of space.

After the ship had made the jump to hyperspace, the young acolyte had dozed in her chair, lulled to sleep by the hum of the engines, the excitement of the day, and the softness of the shuttle seat.

She had left the planet far more respected than when she had first arrived. None of the techs or soldiers that saw her pass said anything, no snide remarks, no jokes about her origin, As a full acolyte, even a first level one, she was only a small step below a _**full**_ Sith.

Sith did not take kindly to being gossiped about, or to be the butt of a common imperial's jokes, those that did gossip or joke lost either their tongue or their lives.

Clearly these Imperials were smart enough not to risk it.

She had watched the planet fall away from one of the shuttle's windows, looked down on the drab ugly gray world where her new life had begun.

She smiled slightly.

It may have been hard to believe, but she would miss it. It had been there that she had first started to realize her full potential.

Such events would not be easily forgotten.

No longer clad in the garb of a hopeful, she now wore the uniform of a first level acolyte, a royal blue tunic with black leggings. The uniform alone was enough to garner either fear or respect.

She accepted both as her due.

She had worked hard to reach her current status.

They had damn well better respect her.

The shuttle ride had been only a few hours, and soon she arrived on yet another Imperial controlled station, a port of call for many young Sith going through their training.

After a brief processing by the station master, she was given a pass inside. That pass entitled her to two days of rest and relaxation before continuing on to her next posting at the academy of Butcher's Clearing.

"Enjoy yourself," Phylon had said, "The next stage of your training will require much of you, best to take your diversions when you can."

It was good advice, she knew.

 _The pure blood might have been an arrogant bloat, but at least he understood the rigors of Sith training._

She had survived, now she had a chance to enjoy that survival to revel in it.

She was eager to see what the Empire had to offer her.

The doors to the lift opened, now she now stood upon the station's main floor, looking at the grandness of imperial power.

The sight of it left her speechless.

She had never seen anything like this.

From the shuttle the station looked like a giant tube, a tube with two large towers on each end. Now that she was aboard she could see that the bulk of the station, the long section between the two towers, housed one long promenade dedicated to pleasure. Imperial soldiers may have patrolled the walkways above, but for the most part this station seemed to belong to the Sith Acolytes. They were everywhere, debauching like mad. Pleasure houses, cantinas and gambling halls stretched as far as she could see, holo-screens broadcast gladiator fights, either warriors fighting each other or dangerous beasts, loud music blasted from every establishment. Blue clad acolytes were everywhere, enjoying the brief respite in their harsh training.

 _All of this,_ she thought to herself.

 _All for me and others like me._

She smiled brightly.

 _Now_ _ **this**_ _…was more like it!_

Avaryss' senses were overloaded; there was so much…so much _emotion_ here. Elation, fury, lust, the air practically vibrated, a young Force user could drown in it if they were not careful.

It drew her in, her pulse quickening.

After so much hardship she welcomed a chance to blow off some steam, to give herself over to all the pleasures that the dark side had to offer.

 _I've trained hard_ , she thought, _why should I not play harder?!_

The thought made her pulse race even more.

Back on Oridanna, she never would have felt comfortable in such a place. She would have been constantly looking over her shoulder, wondering what her father would say, and not wishing to bring shame upon him or their family.

Even now, those old worries threatened to rise up, to rise up and consume her.

And they might have, had the darkness not came to her again.

 _You do not have to worry about that now,_ the dark voice inside her said, _those worries, those insecurities, that family…they belonged to farm girl named Keera. Keera is gone now, buried in the sands outside of Fury 9._

 _You are Avaryss now,_ _ **Avaryss of the Sith.**_

And a Sith has a right to celebrate without guilt or doubt.

The thought washed away any thought of holding back.

 _I'm free for two days,_ she reminded herself, _two days until I have to return to my training._

Two days….

She grinned.

… _Time to make the best of it._

She wove her way into the crowd. Letting the emotions pick her up and carry her away. Her heart raced and her blood seemed to hum.

It was wonderful, euphoric!

This place is a feast, she thought.

The time has come to gorge myself…and so she did.

IOI

"MERCY, GIRL! MERCY!"

The Rodian wearing the remains of a republic ensign's uniform cowered before her, his long green fingers clasped before him as he pleaded for his life.

Avaryss smirked, as she looked down upon him, her war blade slick with blood of his companions. Her head was buzzing with Alderaani wine, and her blood burning with adrenaline.

"Mercy," she laughed, reveling in his fear, "Do you know where you are greenie?"

Laughter from the crowd above drew her attention.

She raised her blade, above her in the stands, a hundred acolytes were screaming for blood and victory.

"HE WANTS MERCY!" she shouted out to them, **"WHAT DO WE OFFER SOMEONE WHO BEGS FOR MERCY!"**

The crowd chanted as one.

"KILL! KILL! KILL!" they shouted.

"DEATH! DEATH! DEATH!"

"No," the prisoner whimpered.

"No."

"Yes," Avaryss said bringing her blade down.

Those who ask for mercy are unworthy of it.

"Mercy is for fools!"

The crowd went wild.

The prisoner lost his head.

A wave of dark side energy washed over her, drawing off the crowd's bloodlust, and Avaryss' own elation and excitement, its power headier than any wine or spice.

The young acolyte giggled.

She had tried both this evening.

Well, maybe not the spice, but she had been close, sitting close at the bar when one of her fellows _**had**_ been spicing. The fool had been gripping the vial too tightly and it had sprayed out, getting her in the face.

Had she not been drinking, she might have punished him for his clumsiness, as it was; she was too lost in her own pleasures to care.

She had not breathed in much of it, but what she did had enough potency to give her whole world a rosy glow. This was clearly not the low grade spice that criminals pedaled on the streets.

Not that that should have been a surprise. Many of the acolytes here came from wealthy families, the heirs of lords and merchants who lived and worked on Dromund Kaas and the surrounding systems. Their children would not have had to rely on street trash when the pure stuff was available, and this… felt like the pure stuff.

Avaryss _could_ have used her power to burn away the substance, she had learned the technique from Darth Hecaetus' book. The lord had been extremely worried about poison during his life.

She could have burned it from her body, but she chose not to.

She was having too much fun.

Why would she want to take time away from that!

She spent the bulk of her evening in the fighting pits after that. She had been feeling aggressive after the first few drinks, her head buzzing, the small bit of spice she had imbibed likely had not helped.

She needed to do something about that.

Acolytes were not allowed to fight each other; fortunately, the fighting pits provided both criminals and slaves for the young would-be Sith to test themselves against. The acolytes and soldiers were even able to place bets on the fights, with the winner getting a small cut of those credits.

She had fought five times, killing opponents five at a time, both human and alien. Her powers and sword was more than a match for her opponents. Slaves that had been soldiers once were the most challenging. Normally they would not have tried to attack a Sith, but that was what aggressors were for, drugs were given to them before the fight, by the time they took effect the prisoners were almost wild animals, more than eager to try and rip a young acolyte to pieces.

Unfortunately for them, the dark side was with her. What could a maddened slave do against that?

Not much as it turned out.

Avaryss defeated them all, and took in almost a thousand credits that night.

It was more than enough to afford a private room on the station.

By the time she left to find a warm place to sleep, she had won both credits and a boost to her reputation.

She reveled in both.

Even if she didn't remember what happened tomorrow.

The lodgings provided for the acolytes were small, yet clean. She made her way down the hallway, stopping several times to make sure she had not passed her room. The number on her pass key was kind of fuzzy. Still she would not let that stop her.

She was almost Sith.

She would not be defeated by a mere room key.

Giggling she finally found her quarters, the door slid open after two attempts.

She staggered into the room, resisting the urge to fall into a stupor on the bed.

She leaned back and sighed contentedly.

No one back home would believe this, she thought.

She was not quite sure she did, but that was probably just the drink talking.

She looked down at the bed; it looked both soft and comfortable.

It was seriously calling her name.

There was a small pad next to the bed. The man at the desk had told her about it.

"If you desire company, my lord," he had said, "Just press the red button."

He gave her a sly smile.

"We have many fine pleasure slaves for your enjoyment, should you require them."

Avaryss had frowned at his offer.

She did not require such company.

From the sounds she had heard coming from the other rooms here, she was one of the few on this station that felt that way.

During her time on Fury 9 she had been aware of the fact that several of her fellow students were engaged in…relationships, if you could even call them that. They meant nothing of course, just trysts to make a difficult situation…easier.

She had not engaged in such relations herself, denied any that had asked. She had resisted any and all advances. Her farm world upbringing had prevented her from it. She did not consider herself a prude…she was just…more careful then her fellows.

Truth be told, she had never…. _been_ with anyone in that way.

I'm not quite ready to give up... _ **that**_ just yet, she thought.

She would wait, when she did finally to do… **that.** She wanted it to be with someone she loved. Someone that she could feel was… _worthy_ of her.

Some Sith would call her naïve, personally, she thought of herself as a romantic.

Father and Mother had adored each other.

She wanted the same for herself.

The fact that she was Sith should not change that.

She wanted it to be…special.

She would accept nothing less.

 _Like your dream boy?_ The dark voice inside her asked.

Avaryss shrugged.

She thought about that last dream she had had of him, standing in the room with all those fountains, how good he had looked all wet and bare chested.

She smiled, her body warming at the memory.

He would be nice, if he even exists.

She giggled.

Somehow she suspected that he _**did**_ exist.

 _He was out there,_ ** _somewhere_ …**

…she could feel it.

 _Perhaps I can go find him_ , she thought, _after I become a full Sith._

 _Perhaps, but you may not like what you find._

The thought gave her pause.

Perhaps.

So, tonight she would sleep alone, the only company she had brought back with her was a bottle of Alderaan wine, a very good year; the wine vendor had told her.

She looked down on it, frowning.

This will serve, she thought, though on the day that I finally visit Alderaan, I will get something better.

To the unenlightened, it might sound like a ridiculous statement, but to her it was anything but.

She would visit Alderaan, she knew it, the what and the why escaped her, but it was enough for now to know that she would see it one day.

One day.

She collapsed onto the bed, sighing into the soft mattress, far softer than her bed back at Fury 9 had been.

Enjoy it, her conscience chided, if Butcher's Clearing is anything like Fury 9 was; you will have your work cut out for you.

So be it, she thought.

I survived the hell that was Fury 9. I will survive Butcher's Clearing. I will earn a spot at Korriban.

She smiled.

I will become a Sith.

She felt her grip on consciousness slipping; she didn't even have the strength to fight against it.

The Force brought her visions of the past, glimpse of the future. Faces of those she knew and those she did not danced before her heavily lidded eyes. People she would meet, she suspected, whether they would be friends or enemies she could not say.

She was fighting a losing battle, she recognized that.

Finally, she lowered her guard, and offered her neck in submission.

Sleep claimed her.

It was a blissful sleep for once, one free of nightmares.

As she drifted off she thought about the dream boy, the one that she had known all her life.

 _He is looking for me_ , she thought, _she could feel it._

She sighed happily.

 _He is looking._

 _Be patient, my love,_ she thought trying to send her thoughts to him through the ether of the Force.

 _We will meet one day, I know it._

 _I can feel it._

A small catlike smile graced her lips.

 _I…can feel…_

A sweet darkness claimed her.

She found her rest.

 _Pleasure._


	16. Acolytes

**Chapter 16: Acolytes**

 _Butcher's Clearing._

The name did not sound like it belonged to a place of learning. It sounded more like an outlaw's nest, or some dingy cantina on the edge of known space.

Yet, an Academy was _exactly_ what it was. The next rung on the ladder if one hoped to become Sith, It was the next step on Avaryss' road to power.

It was a road that she intended to follow to the very end.

And may the Emperor protect any that dared try to get in her way.

The shuttle carrying her and several others finally exited hyperspace. Before them, hung a bright blue orb of a world, huge storm systems crisscrossed the atmosphere, even from here, they could see the flash of lightning in those clouds.

The sight impressed Avaryss.

So much blue, she thought, disbelieving her own eyes, she had never seen so much water; her homeworld had only had a few land locked seas, places that she had only read about and never seen.

The storms looked terrifying; that they could leave even the strongest of outposts in ruins, yet for some reason the Sith had chosen this place to build an Academy, they must have had their reasons.

She shook her head.

Perhaps it was the danger that had first drawn her people to this world. Despite its ugly blasted look, the world where Fury 9 had been built had been strong in the dark side, perhaps this world was too.

Power and danger were close cousins, a wise and strong Sith always sought out both.

The shuttle began its descent into orbit, she now noticed two warships floating there, likely protecting this place from attack, or to serve as a means to evacuate, should the storms get too bad. Either reason made sense, though she did not see much chance of a Sith choosing to run, even from a powerful storm.

Whatever the reason, it did not matter, she was here now.

She needed to prepare for what was to come.

Avaryss readied herself, drawing on the Force, trying to bring her powers to full bloom, so that the leaders here would be able to sense them. She wished only to make a good impression, to dazzle the overseers that ran this place.

It is them that I need to impress, she knew.

 _It was only they that could send me on, to the academy on Korriban_.

It was a goal she hoped to see realized…very soon.

Instead of proceeding to the surface, the shuttle made its first stop at a small orbital station. Once aboard, she and her fellow acolytes were give a series of injections by the medical droids stationed here.

She had never been fond of injections, or medical droids for that matter.

Her nervousness manifested as anger.

What are you poking and prodding us for?" she asked in her most imperious sounding voice.

What is the meaning of this?"

The lead droid's photo-receptors blinked as he met her cool gaze.

"It is for your own good, oh mighty mistress of darkness." It said quickly, "We exist to serve."

"Oh really," she said dryly, "And would you still think that way while I'm tearing you apart for daring to paw me like you have been?"

She did not think it possible for a droid to look nervous, but this one…certainly did. Sith droids had a tendency to be either cold and indifferent, or functioned in an almost constant state of simulated fear of being disassembled while they were still were online. Not that droids felt fear, she supposed, such reaction was more for the Sith speaking to the droid than for the droid's benefit.

Some Sith simply liked to elicit fear in all their followers, that included droids.

It seemed foolish, but she could appreciate that fear, real or not.

For Avaryss, at that moment it was simply a small amusement.

It had been a long shuttle ride.

"It…it for your benefit entirely, mistress," the droid repeated.

"And why is that?" she demanded.

She was so focused on the first that she never saw the second come up behind her, this one armed with an injection gun.

She never knew it was there until she felt the sharp pain as it fired into her neck.

She gasped and spun around, murder flashing in her eyes.

The droid stood firm, unmoved.

"There are many dangerous bacteria and viruses in the jungles below, oh merciful mistress," the droid who injected her said quickly, before she had chance to punish it, "It would not do for a student such as yourself to fall ill from any of them. You would likely not last long if you did."

A sound came out of the droid's vocoder; it might have been a sigh, if droids were capable of such things.

"So rip me apart, oh master, it is the least I deserve for trying to protect your life."

Avaryss winced from the pain. She glared at the droid who had distracted her while his counterpart had given her the injection.

It stepped back, raising its arm slightly. She suspected that she was not the first Acolyte to respond this way. She wondered how many times these two had needed to be put back together after a student decided to…act on his or her displeasure.

Her anger faded, her self-control kicked in, they were just doing what that were programmed for after all.

She let out a harsh hissing breath; any remaining anger went with it

The two had nothing to worry about this time; she was not so fickle to lash out over something as small as being given a shot, but that did not mean she was above enjoying the mechanical beings reaction, especially the more nervous of the two.

She might as well enjoy herself while she still could.

She continued to glare coldly at it, she let the droid process what she might do for a moment before nodding grimly.

"Very well," she said, "It looks like you get to keep your limbs, droid, for now."

The automaton bowed and backed away quickly, eager to be out of her sight, just in case she changed her mind.

The more stoic of the two remained for a few moments more.

"This vaccine will protect you from the worst of the sicknesses here," it added, "You may feel a little feverish for a few days, and suffer a lack of appetite, but you will recover, dark one, be sure of that, be thankful, and know that is better than the alternative."

She rubbed her neck, nodding, trying not to think about what it was they just injected her with.

She also wished it had not mentioned the side effects, she put her hand to her forehead, maybe she was wrong, but it already felt warmer.

She tried not to think about it, not to show any weakness.

Showing weakness was never a good idea when surrounded by disciples of the dark side.

She looked over at her fellow acolytes, all of them now dealing with the effects of their own injections.

None of them looked pleased.

There were five others that had accompanied her on this journey, all human, three male and two female.

The boys looked like any other bruiser she might have seen back at Fury 9, the kind she would have enjoyed stomping during saber practice. The women were…different.

The first thing she noticed was the red tunics they were wearing, both bearing the symbol of the Korriban academy. She knew it well from her studies over the last year. Adaz had warned her that she might encounter second level acolytes when she reached Butcher's Clearing; it was not unusual that students from Korriban would be sent here as they continued their studies.

Some trials could **not** be performed on Korriban after all, the student needed to go off world for a time, and that is where places like _Butcher's Clearing_ came in.

They also had stayed close to each other since they had boarded the shuttle. Clearly these two had some kind of an alliance going.

 _I need to be cautious,_ she thought, Attack one, the other might take offense, plus _she could only imagine what secrets that these two had had access to during their studies. Plus as students from Korriban, their status alone made them her superior at least for now._

She would need to treat them accordingly.

They certainly _seemed_ superior.

Both of them carried themselves far different than other Sith students she had met. Every movement seemed to suggest a sense of entitlement…of power. The first was a little shorter than Avaryss, slim yet muscular, athletic some might call it, her chestnut brown hair cut short and spikey, she might even have been considered cute with her slightly pug nose and large brown eyes, especially if she smiled. Yet, even pretty features did not hide the arrogance radiating off of her, that and the sense of coldness. She seemed to radiate an air of superiority.

The other girl was the polar opposite. She stood about half a head above Avaryss, and was…what her little sister Pamir would have called, sickeningly gorgeous. She certainly was a beauty that was for sure, long blonde hair, slender figure, a heart shaped face, with blue eyes and a wide generous mouth, a mouth that seemed always ready to break into a smile.

She was smiling now. Apparently she had been enjoying the exchange between Avaryss and the two droids.

The girl who had once been Keera Lylos tried not to feel self-conscious.

"I don't think the overseers would approve of us tearing their droids apart," the blonde said to her, "I'm sure they get enough of that as it is.

"Probably," Avaryss agreed with a shrug, "But after such a boring journey it would serve as a distraction."

Avaryss grinned at her.

"It would be fun."

The blonde girl giggled.

The brown haired one rolled her eyes.

She was clearly not so easily amused.

"If you're feeling a desire to destroy something," she suggested, "You should probably wait until we are on the planet. _The clearing_ has some of the finest hunting in the Empire, creatures worth **real** prestige, not simply a brief moment of amusement."

The girl shook her head.

"I would not expect someone trained at one of the Fury Academies to understand."

Avaryss gave her an arched look.

"How do you know I trained at one of the Furies?" she asked.

The other girl shrugged.

"Your accent for a start," she replied, "That is no proper Dromund Kaas accent, fringe systems; I suspect, your kind rarely get to begin your training on Korriban."

Avaryss glared at her.

 _ **My** kind?_

Her temper sparked, the fire began to grow.

The shorter girl sized her up, her eyes dissecting her.

"Let me guess, mining colony? A space station maybe, Sith stop at space stations all the time, enjoy themselves with local girls."

The brown haired girl smirked at her.

"Daughter of a pleasure slave, perhaps? Maybe even a slave yourself, if you have Force sensitivity, it is possible that one of the Furies would have taken you, they've always been more accepting than most."

"I was born a free citizen of the Empire," Avaryss said in a glacially calm voice, trying to hold her temper in check.

 _How dare this…this…Acolyte talk down to her, and for what? Because she did not sound like she came from the capital?_

She is a second level, her conscience warned.

Be careful.

So what? She had been strong enough to become a full acolyte, which this girl would learn, if she kept pushing Avaryss' buttons.

"I was the daughter of an overseer," she growled, "It may have been only a farm world, but what we contributed to the Empire was well known."

The blonde's smile widened.

"A farm girl, then," she said quickly moving between the two, trying to kill any argument between Avaryss and the other girl.

Avaryss winced,

 _Farm Girl._

That had been her nickname on Fury 9 as well, Keera's nickname, she had been looking forward of ridding herself of it, and now…she had just announced it to these two.

Wonderful, she thought.

The whole academy would be using it within a week.

The blonde looked at her companion.

"We're all acolytes here," she reminder her, "We've all passed our first trials, and are on our way to becoming Sith."

She gave Avaryss a warm smile.

"I think we can all respect each other for that, yes?"

Avaryss sighed. She did not like it, but…

"Yes," she said nodding.

"I can respect that."

The blonde looked at her ally, who also nodded, begrudging.

"Wonderful," the taller girl said, holding out her hand to Avaryss.

"I'm Taya," she said, "This is Nass. We're both from Korriban, here to continue our training."

Grudgingly, Avaryss shook it.

"I figured that," she said, "My name is Avaryss, and yes, I _**did**_ graduate from one of the Furies, Fury 9 to be exact."

"Avaryss, huh," Taya said jovially, "It is a pleasure to meet you Avy."

The girl who had been Keera winced.

 _Avy?_

Did the other girl have to butcher her Sith name like **that?**

"It was certainly a lot less intimidating that was for sure."

"Let me guess," She said, "You two are both from Dromund Kaas."

"Born and raised," Nass said.

"But that really doesn't matter now," Taya said quickly, still trying to play referee, "We're all just Acolytes at Butcher's Clearing now, and if we're going to graduate from this place, we are all going to need to earn some prestige."

Avaryss nodded, the girl had a point.

 _You should try to play nice,_ the dark voice inside her suggested, _if these two are from Korriban you could use the contacts, start building up a powerbase for yourself; make a few allies._

Still she was not sure that she really wanted to link up with these two.

Nass had insulted her, and eventually, she would need to answer for that slight, through the Force Avaryss could sense the girl's darkness, it radiated outward like a neutron star. Such a sense was comforting familiar. Taya…the way she felt in the Force was…well…that was confusing to say the least.

Through the Force, the blonde felt…wrong, there was darkness there, greed, passion, hate, but at the same time the darkness was not complete, it was like looking at a storm cloud on a sunny day, before the storm hit, rays of light shining through it blackness.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

Sensing such a thing made her wary.

The light side was the power of the accursed Jedi. She was not sure she could be comfortable working with someone that may or may not have dabbled in it. It was possible for a Sith to fall to the light side she knew. Such Sith were hunted down and killed by the Emperor's inquisitors.

 _Be cautious with this one,_ the dark voice within warned.

 _You don't want to be dragged down with her._

 _For now, play nice, who knows you might earn some prestige by turning her in later, remain mindful and watch._

Avaryss smiled, putting on a false face.

She could do that.

The droids soon pronounced them all fully inoculated against the various viruses and diseases on the planet and sent them on their way. Instead of returning to her original seat, Avaryss sat across from Nass and Taya, making sure to keep a close eye on both.

Taya was still smiling, the excitement and eagerness for what they would all soon face radiated out of her like a beacon.

Avaryss kept quiet, watchful.

She would need to be more wary now...more than ever.

The shuttle detached from the station with a loud clang, and continued its journey down to the academy.

Avaryss watched as the atmosphere seemed to rise up to meet them. Cloud cover seemed to wrap its way around the shuttle, and then after a several long moments flying through white nothingness, they were through, and found themselves flying over choppy seas.

The shuttle dipped lower as it made its approach to the academy. She continued to stare down into the ocean, she was not sure, but she thought she caught sight of something moving among those waves. Large animals, perhaps, she thought, surfacing briefly only to dive just as quickly below the waves.

Taya noticed them to.

"What do you suppose those things are?" she asked.

"A very good reason not to go for a moonlight swim," Avaryss suggested dryly.

"You're probably right on that point, Farm Girl," Nass said.

Again Avaryss shuddered.

 _She was **never** going to live that one down, was she?_

The shuttle banked to the right as they finally came within view of the academy, or rather the islands where the academy had been built.

Avaryss had been expecting another mountain base like Fury 9.

 _Butcher's Clearing_ was anything but.

A massive modern tower rose out of the jungle. It had to be at least several hundred floors easy. A massive red Imperial banner hung from its midsection down to almost the ground. Massive duracrete sea walls rose up around the island, shielding the academy from any tidal wave that might threaten to swamp it, and if that was not enough there were at least two military grade shield generators near the tower's base, adding even another layer of defense.

Around the great tower, a small city of tents and training fields and small structures dotted the landscape. Yet even this was only a small part of the large island, a clearing that the Empire had made for itself. Just beyond the tower and its support buildings a massive jungle encroached, a jungle shrouded in a permanent mist, with trees so tight that it would have been impossible to fly a speeder bike through.

Avaryss reached out with her senses, trying to get a feel of what waited for her below.

A shiver ran down her spine as she touched that jungle. She could almost taste the danger, and it felt…hungry, almost like it was daring her to come down and face it.

She grinned eagerly.

You want me, she thought to herself, well I'm not going to be hard to find.

I'll be there soon. I'm coming.

Her grin turned sly.

She was going to crush this wild planet beneath her heel, and when she was done…

Korriban would be next.

"Impressive, huh?" Taya said smiling.

She gave the other girl a sly look. Wondering if and when she would need to cash the girl in, when the time came, of course. Surely an overseer would reward her handsomely for turning in a light leaning Sith.

"Yeah," she answered, imagining the other girl in stun cuffs.

"It really is."

For now, Avaryss put such thoughts out of her mind.

Soon they would be touching down, and the next level of her training would begin.

She wanted to see what made this planet spin before she committed to any real plan. She wanted to get the measure of the Overseers here. Adaz had been an ally, she wondered how this overseer would compare to him, or if he, or she, would be like that fat fool, Phylon.

So many possible levers to pull, so many threats, she would need to face them all.

She felt giddy.

She never felt more alive.

 _New place, new challenges._

Her smile widened.

 _This…was going to be fun!_


	17. Dark Magic

**Chapter 17: Dark Magic**

 _Butcher's Clearing_ continued to push Avaryss' resolve, testing her desire to become a full Sith. She like so many of the other Acolytes here, were left to question if the goal was truly worth it.

Did they truly wish to become Sith?

For the girl who had once been Keera Lylos, the answer was yes, for the other students…she could not say. The academy seemed to thrive on brutality.

It was a miracle that anyone graduated from here.

Beyond the academy's gleaming tower existed only thick tropical forests and harsh swampy marsh lands, filled with poisonous plants and carnivorous wildlife... While the overseer and her staff lived in temperature controlled comfort, the students were forced to live in the tent city outside the tower's walls. A full battalion of Sith soldiers backed up by combat droids and a company of Sith marauders kept the peace, and made sure that the students stayed in line. Everything here seemed designed to aggravate the young would-be Sith, filling them with hate, and a desire for revenge. High humidity, biting insects, and a virtual menagerie of dangerous predators made living conditions for the acolytes extremely hard to bear.

It was a small wonder that the academy continued to exist at all under such conditions, it was surprising that life here did not end in a riot of fire and blood. Yet, somehow, things continued to run. The desire to become Sith kept the students on track, and when that desire did not prove strong enough, there was always the Overseer's guard.

They could be quite persuasive as well.

For those students who had come from Korriban, those of wealthy and influential families, the conditions were likely far worse than those that had endured training in the Fury academies. Arguments were common in the student living area, known colorfully as "The Butcher's Block." The tent city offered little comfort, or relief from the heat and the other hardships the students faced. Still, fights were rare, and often were stopped before any permanent damage was done. As with the Fury academies, murder of a fellow student was strictly prohibited. Anyone caught murdering a student was exiled from the academy, unarmed, left to fend for themselves in the jungle.

The death sentence was not as quick as it had been at Fury 9, Avaryss realized, but it was _**still**_ death.

The Sith overseers seeded those jungles with all manner of dangerous creatures. Some of these were sentient, others little more than wild animals with a taste for flesh.

No student would last long outside the walls alone. If the wildlife did not get them, something else would.

The threat alone was enough to keep the students in line.

Avaryss did her best to adapt to this new paradigm.

IOI

 _Butcher's Clearing_ was held in check by A Zabrak overseer named Alaria, who, unlike her teachers back at Fury 9, chose to keep her distance from her students, never venturing out from the comfort of her tower. When she did address them, it was always either over the loud speaker system or from one of holo com units built into the many communication droids that wandered the academy grounds. These droids were basically just portable holo communicators with built in spider-legs.

It was through these devices that the overseer remained visible, and all from the comfort of her office high above.

Yet another reason for the students to resent her, Avaryss could not deny her own desire to pick up one of the droids with the Force and smash it to scrap. The only reason she did not do it, was that she did not wish to risk the Overseer's displeasure.

Crimson skinned and tattooed, Alaria always seemed to maintain a positive and cheery attitude when addressing her young charges. It was almost un-Sith-like how friendly she seemed. Always was she encouraging them to do better, to train hard and embrace the dark side.

Avaryss suspected that this was all an act; that the Zabrak was manipulating her students, playing off the hardships they faced, and using those hardships to pit one acolyte against the other. She had heard some evidence that suggested this, and therefore pointed to a simpler motive for the overseer offering favors to this student or that. Avaryss believed that the overseer only wished to see her students fight. She suspected that the woman likely _**enjoyed**_ it, considering how many camera droids could be seen flying here and there over the island.

The young acolyte frowned; another camera droid buzzed by overhead.

 _How am I supposed to do this_ , she asked herself, _if the overseer_ _ **never**_ _comes down, how do I win her favor?_

As it turned out, there were several ways to gain the overseer's attention. Alaria ran her academy as a true meritocracy. You wanted something here; you earned it by gaining higher and higher prestige. Points were reward for trophies, which could be turned into…more tangible rewards. Everything from better food to a night in the tower was on offer, if an acolyte had the will and good fortune to find something interesting. All could be purchased by earning prestige…

…and there were two ways to do that.

The first was to volunteer and work with the academy staff, which typically involved the interrogation of prisoners. Technically the war between the Empire and Republic had ended with the treaty of Coruscant, but that did not stop either side from seeking an advantage over the other. Republic spies still moved through Imperial space, looking for weaknesses in the Empire's armor. When these criminals were caught they were often sent to _Butcher's Crossing_ or _Lord's Reach_ for further questioning. That way, the students could not only get a sense of what the enemy was like, but also practice dominating their foes in a controlled environment.

Avaryss first week in the Academy had been spent almost exclusively working with the Inquisitors, there facilities were at least cooler compared to the heat and humidity outside. Plus, most of the higher level Acolytes thought such work beneath them, making it easy to find an open spot. It was not the most glamourous of jobs, but it did give her a chance to finally encounter the enemy, to interact with the Republic's agents.

She welcomed the opportunity. Knowing someone was the first step to defeating them…and Avaryss wanted to know everything.

The prisoners she interrogated were understandably resistant, at first. Normally, a Sith might have then turned to Force persuasion, wore down the pub's defenses.

Since her talents lay elsewhere, Avaryss had to get creative. Force lightning may not have been as subtle as persuasion, but it did get results…

…provided that she remembered when to stop, which she did…usually.

Her record was far from perfect, but it sufficed, the interrogators were pleased, and rewarded her with prestige. Her tenacity impressed them. Avaryss took their praise in stride; she had just been doing her duty to the Empire after all…

She would leave no stone unturned.

It was a slow and steady path, but it did earn results.

The second way to earn prestige was to assemble a hunting party and head out into the jungle to hunt down some of dangerous creatures that lived there. This was, by far, the most common way for a student to advance at _the Clearing_. Hunting parties left almost hourly as the acolytes sought to prove themselves in battle against a dangerous foe.

Avaryss was slow to take up that opportunity. She remained distrustful of her fellow acolytes, more so since she had been living in the Butcher's Block. Fights and rivalries were common, and she had endeared herself to few. So far no one had openly challenged her, or tried to take her down, but she thought that that was only a matter of time.

Accidents, or rather what was called accidents, happened all the time. These accidents usually were to settle scores, or to acquire something that the other Acolyte had. A few of the students here had noticed her war blade, and made comment of how they would like one as well. Avaryss kept it close just in case.

She had no desire to be killed so some entitled oaf could have a Sith war blade of their own.

Working with the Inquisitors only took a Sith so far, she came to realize, she needed to get out of the academy and earn…not just prestige, but the respect and fear of her fellow acolytes.

That meant opening up to them, and trusting them not to stab her in the back while on the hunt. Everyone knew that Academy rules were waved out in the jungle, but you could still be punished if anyone saw you murdering a fellow student in cold blood, but that required a witness' testimony.

You were not likely to find someone willing to testify here, not with so many students who came from so much wealth and power wandering around the tower and the camp outside. Students, who could, make it worth someone's while to stay silent when something…unforeseen happened.

The overseers understood that, and so it fell to their discretion to punish a would-be murderer.

In the end a simple fact was known, some Acolytes were more equal than others.

Depending on how much he or she knew and who their family was, it was possible to escape punishment even for the most heinous of crimes.

Unfortunately, there was no other way, and Avaryss knew that.

If she did not want to spend the next two years sweltering in this wretched heat, nursing insect bites, she would need to take a chance and make a big move.

That meant putting herself in jeopardy and going on a hunt with her fellow students.

She did her best to minimize the risk.

She approached that blonde girl, Taya. They had spoken little since the shuttle ride, but welcomed Avaryss' attempt to form an alliance. The other girl seemed quite excited to go on a hunt; she had had little luck garnering prestige in the interrogation cells here.

Nass would join them of course, she said, plus they had made contact with give others, people willing to do what they could to earn a second level Acolyte's favor.

Avaryss had agreed; having a full eight person hunting group would make it easier as they went into the deep jungle. It also upped their chances of taking down something really big, and that meant not just prestige, but points towards earning a chance to spend the night in the tower.

She had heard some of the others speak of such nights. A chance to not only be clean and not sweating buckets, but better food, and the promise of a good night's rest.

Creature comforts should not have been that appealing, but after several weeks of heat and swamp flies, it sounded perfect.

Avaryss was eager to get started.

They had started out that very morning, leaving through the haze. The guards warned them not to stay out after dark, the truly dangerous things hunted then, and they hunted in such numbers that even a full hunting party would be hard pressed to survive.

Accepting the danger, the students left through the jungle gate, and made their way into the forest.

The dark side permeated this place, leaving them all feeling both wary and giddy at the same time. You could almost taste the danger on the air.

It was not long until they found it…

…it was a danger that ended the lives of five acolytes, but in turn gave Avaryss a chance to excel.

She would later come to be grateful for it, but at the time.

She was simply grateful to have survived.

IOI

The beasts fell upon them only an hour or so into their hunt. They dropped down from the trees howling war cries and swinging weapons.

The students had not even had a chance to sense them. They had been caught completely unaware.

The killing began in earnest.

Almost seven feet tall, and covered in dirty, matted shaggy fur, the brutes tore into the acolytes like they were nothing. The first to fall had his arms ripped off before he even had a chance to respond. The second was slashed across the face by wicked claws that left him incoherent.

Avaryss drew her blade and called on the Force, flinging one of the beasts hard against a tree. It struck like a missile, likely shattering all the bones it its brutish body. It did not rise again.

The true battle began then, claws and teeth against swords and Force abilities. Avaryss saw Nass kill one with Force lightning, while Taya cut down another with a double bladed training saber.

She had been preparing to cast a spell when one of the monsters wrapped its hairy paws around her throat. It threw her against one of the trees, she hit so hard that stars exploded before her eyes.

The noisy brute howled in her face, its stinking breath making her nauseous.

The young Acolyte responded brutally.

She was too close to use lightning, and her war blade was pinned behind her, but that did not make her defenseless.

She reached out with the Force and seized the monster's hairy throat; it gasped and coughed, slamming her several times against the tree, trying to break her concentration.

The blows knocked the wind out of her, but she did not release her grip. Pain was an old friend now, she used it to fuel her anger, and as long as she was angry her connection to the darkness remained strong.

She tightened her grip, squeezing the alien's throat tighter and tighter.

She felt the howling thing's grip begin to loosen; she heard the gurgling noises as it tried to breathe. She smiled at it.

 _You've lost beast,_ she thought, _your great strength is no match for the power of the dark side._

The beast must have realized that too. It chose to change tactics.

It released one paw from her neck and swiped downward. She heard the sound of ripping cloth and felt five pinching sensations that ran from just below her heart to her waist.

Avaryss gasped.

Her grip on the alien ceased. She felt warmth running down her legs.

It took her a moment to understand what had happened.

The creature let her go and roared it held up its hand, those wicked looking claws were out, and they were drenched in blood…human blood.

Avaryss looked down in horror.

The thing had struck her with its claws, ripping open her belly.

Her eyes widened with shock and disbelief.

The alien leapt away, probably to try and aid his fellows.

He no doubt thought her already done.

Perhaps he was right.

Avaryss tried to walk, only to take two steps and fall forward. She collapsed to the ground, writhing in sudden agony.

She reached down trying to get an idea of how bad the damage was.

Her hand came back coated red, it looked like she was wearing crimson gloves.

She almost fainted when she saw it.

Emperor save me, she thought.

I'm really dying!

Not good, she thought trying to keep from panicking…

…Not good.

Her heart was pounding, harder and harder, she could feel the blood pumping out through the wounds. Despite the wretched heat, she actually shivered, she felt cold.

She felt darkness starting to close in.

Her head felt funny, it was getting harder to stay awake.

Part of her welcomed the end.

It was a chance to lay down her burdens.

It would be so easy, part of her thought, just lie down and close my eyes; it would all be over in a moment.

She stifled back a sob. Her eyes grew heavier and heavier.

I'll get to see my family again Mom and Dad are waiting for me, I'm sure of it, the girls too. She would love to see them again. She would…

Avaryss eyes snapped open.

NO!

 **IT COULDN'T END THIS WAY!**

 **IT WOULD** _ **NOT**_ **END THIS WAY!**

She shook her head, panic quickly turning to anger fueling her power.

She would not last long, she knew, and they were too far away from the academy for someone to get help, even if they had been willing to.

She fought down her panic, trying to will her heart to slow. The faster it beat, the faster she was losing blood.

She needed to do something she knew.

 _ **I can't die like this!**_

She tried to wrap herself in a cocoon of the Force, she used her power to try and stop the blood flow, and to keep her insides…well…inside.

She gritted her teeth.

It would not end this way. She still had too much left to do.

She would not lie down and die.

Not like this!

She tried to sit up, but found that impossible, so instead she lay where she had fallen, drawing deeper and deeper on the dark side.

The power is mine, she thought.

It can save me!

The sounds of the battle went away as she concentrated, willing herself to stay one step ahead of death.

Her pain and the death around her kept her focused, the dark side was strong enough here that she could hold herself in this moment, but for how long, she could not say.

She needed to do something now.

She took a deep breath and started.

She did not have much time.

Remember, she thought, REMEMBER DAMN YOU! The incantation is simple enough, draw on the death around you, and let it fuel the fire within.

Remember.

Remember…and cast the spell.

She suddenly realized that she was no longer alone, four shadows fell over her; she could see four pairs of boots.

She ignored them. They could not help her now.

The only person she could count on now was herself.

She would not fail.

"She's done for," she heard Nass say.

Avaryss shook her head.

No I'm not...

She wanted to say that, but all that came out was a pained groan.

She was running out of time.

"Um…You think we should put her out of her misery," she heard Taya ask; "She must be in terrible pain."

Don't you dare, Avaryss wanted to shout.

"It would be a mercy," Nass said, she heard the sound of a training blade powering up.

NO!

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Avaryss snarled at her fellow students.

"GET BACK!"

She heard one of the boys that had come with them chuckle.

"Your history girl," he said, "Just let go so we can get out of here."

"I want her war blade," she heard another voice say.

"It is too nice to leave here."

Avaryss had heard enough.

Her anger turned to white hot hate!

How dare they talk about her like she was already dead? How dare they conspire to steal from her before her body was even cold!

They will pay. She thought, still focusing on the spell.

They will all pay!

She tried to remember the gestures, they helped with the spell, it was getting hard to think, but the fury she was feeling helped.

She was almost done.

We're almost there.

"What is she saying?"

"I don't know, sounds like gibberish to me, I think she is hallucinating.

Just keep on thinking that, Avaryss thought.

Not long now.

I'm almost done!

She felt the dark side wrapping around her, warping to her will. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

Things might have been going dark, but it was not just the blood loss.

It was the dark side itself, being shaped by her will…

…and…it was hungry!

"That…that is not gibberish," she heard one of the acolytes say.

"Well…what is it that.

A wave of fear washed over the group.

"Run!"

"But…?"

"RUN!"

Avaryss felt two of the Acolytes break away, she almost laughed.

Don't run away, she wanted to say, you're going to miss the surprise.

She shook her head.

Oh well, I'm out of time!

Time to do this!

She croaked out the final words, the last part of the spell. They were not necessary for the casting, but they did help the caster focus her power where it needed to be.

And where it needed to be was here.

Avaryss cast.

The world exploded, the forest was suddenly filled with violet colored light!

Avaryss heard someone screaming, a sound of pure unrefined agony!

It took her a few moments to realize that the voice was her own.

Not that it mattered now, the spell had been cast.

What was done was done.

The death field she had conjured was here, and it showed no signs of stopping.

The dark side was weak in the healing arts, everyone knew that, but this was not healing, not really. It was the transfer of energy of essence.

And it probably one of the most painful experience of the girl's young life.

Healing was natural; the light side of the Force could be compelled to accelerate it. This was not healing; it was using the darkside to literally force the body back together. Wounded organs were reformed; tears in the flesh were closed by pure dark side energy.

It was an intense experience, somewhere between agony and ecstasy, but radically both. Avaryss arched her back and howled.

This is the only way, she thought, the only way!

THE PAIN!

THE PAIN!

She screamed as the death field took life after life and forced it into her damaged body, forcing it to be whole once more.

She rose off the jungle floor floating above it, caught in a web of dark side energy

The pain finally transitioned to pleasure, she was gorging herself on life energy, it saturated her cells, and every molecule of her body was alive and active.

"YESSSSS!" she moaned, "MORE! MOOORE! YES! YES! YES!"

She threw back her head.

"YESSSSSSS!"

For that one brief euphoric moment she was one with dark side of the Force. She felt everything, every life on the planet, every life on a hundred planets.

 _It is mine,_ she thought _, I will consume it all!_

 _IT MUST_ _ **ALL**_ _BE MINE!_

A voice came to her then, two voices, she could not tell if they were from the past or the future, if they would be or they wouldn't, but they were there none the less.

" _The dark side of the Force is the pathway to many abilities, some might consider to be…unnatural."_

" _Is it possible to learn this power?"_

" _Not…from a Jedi."_

Avaryss laughed.

 _Is it possible to learn this power? Yes it_ _ **was**_ _,_ she knew.

She shook her head.

 _Poor little hopeful, he was already ensnared and he did not know it! He…_

She gasped.

She felt her connection fading.

The dark side was limitless, she was not.

She was being pulled back, back to the mortal world, the realm of crude flesh.

Part of her did not want to go!

She tried to hold on, to hold all the life energy she had drawn into herself, but it was slipping away, like water slipping through her fingers no matter how hard she tried to hold onto it.

The body was not meant to contain so much power, she realized.

It was slipping away.

She cursed herself for a weakling.

It was slipping away.

She fell to the ground with a thud; the wind was knocked out of her.

Yet, strangely she felt no pain, only a profound sense of euphoria!

She lay there staring up at the trees above.

She was giggling.

What a rush, she thought.

She was not sure how long she lay there, basking in the life energy bubbling inside of her.

She reached down, touching where the beast had clawed her.

Her tunic was a bloody mess, but the skin beneath was hot and smooth. Her breath came easily once again, her heart pounded, and no blood flowed from her body.

She grinned like a fool.

The dark side, she thought to herself, was…amazing!

The death field, she thought, she had not truly been conscious of what she was doing the first time she had summoned it on Oridanna, now…she knew exactly what she had missed that day. It was incredible. Her senses were overloaded by the experience.

It was needed, she realized, it had saved her life.

That is what mattered, that was all that mattered.

She heard footsteps. She finally managed to sit up, preparing to defend herself.

Taya and Nass stood there; they were both dirty with twigs and mud in their hair.

Avaryss laughed and fell back.

The look on their faces, she thought.

Priceless!

"Um…you alright Avy?" she heard Taya say.

She could not answer; she was lost in another fit of giggles.

"Can you hear us Farm Girl, Nass said, "Say something?"

She managed to hold back her giggles long enough.

Avaryss grinned at the sky.

"Something," she said, and broke into another fit of giggles.

She could not help it.

It was funny!

Taya chuckled.

"She sounds drunk."

"Drunk," Avaryss said, "I am drunk, drunk on life! Drunk on power."

She used the Force to stand, to put herself upright and stand before her fellow acolytes.

It was then that Avaryss finally got a look at what she had done. What the death field had done.

She was speechless.

For almost fifteen feet around her, everything was dead, trees, grass plants, even the soil that she had been laying on. The aliens that had attacked them lay dead beside the bodies of the five acolytes that had accompanied the three girls' into the jungle.

All of the bodies looked desiccated, drained of all moisture, everything that had made them live, they were simply withered husks now.

Avaryss grinned.

Unbelievable she thought.

Behold the power of the dark side!

She laughed and raised her hands to sky.

"UNLIMITTED POWER!" she shouted.

She wanted the whole galaxy to hear, to know how good she felt in that moment.

She looked at Taya and Nass.

She felt the change between the three of them.

Nass had looked down on her. Taya had thought her some charity project, something that she could befriend and feel good about herself for doing so.

That had changed.

Now, all she felt was respect radiating from the two girls, respect and a healthy dose of fear.

At last they understood.

Avaryss was no mere bumpkin from a farm world.

She was power!

Nass looked at what was left of the aliens, their shaggy pelts were dry and brittle pulled over shrunken skin.

The brown haired girl shook her head.

"Couldn't you have waited until after we skinned these brutes before crisping them?"

Avaryss grinned.

"Sorry couldn't be helped," she shrugged, "It was the only way."

Nass did something then that Avaryss could not believe.

The girl smiled.

"Thanks for the warning," she said, "Had you not said anything, Taya and I might have been caught in that blast of yours."

"Nass is right," Taya said nodding, "Thanks, Avy."

"Don't mention it," she said looking at the dead Acolytes.

She frowned.

"What are we going to say about this lot?"

"What's to say?" Nass shrugged, "They got caught in your attack, and they got dead. They should have run when I told them to."

Avaryss nodded.

Yes, they should have.

"What were these things, anyway?' asked.

"They are called Wookies," Taya said, "The pubs use them for shock troops."

Avaryss's eyes narrowed.

"They certainly shocked me."

Nass laughed.

"Not as much as you did them," she said hungrily, looking at the corpses.

"I count six of these hair bags, a full squad, possibly former pub military."

She grinned at Avaryss.

"And you killed them with a single spell!"

"I suppose I did."

Taya smiled.

"You have earned great prestige today Avy"

Avaryss nodded.

Now is the time, the dark voice within told her, these two are ready, they are hooked.

Now…reel them both in.

She smiled.

"Not me," she told the two girls, "Us."

Nass and Taya looked at each other, and then at the other girl.

They both grinned.

"We do this together," Avaryss informed them, "You were both smart enough to know what I was doing and fast enough to flee."

She gave them both a sly look.

"If the three of us pool our resources, there will be no stopping us."

"We can return to Korriban with pride," Nass said.

"We'll pass our trials even faster," Taya added.

"And I will join you both there sooner than I would have normally," Avaryss added.

All three girls nodded.

"A triumvirate then," Nass said, offering her hand to Avaryss.

She took it.

Taya laughed.

"We will be running the Butcher's block in a matter of weeks!"

Avaryss took her hand as well.

She grinned at the two. Despite her early misgivings she thought this the right idea. It felt right.

An alliance.

"The three of us against everyone else," Avaryss said smirking.

"I like those odds."


	18. Relationships

**Chapter 18: Relationships**

"You are in our seats."

The four acolytes in the blue tunics hurried to remove themselves. Nass, Taya, and Avaryss pinning them with cold looks while their fellow students made themselves scarce, they did not sit or even put down their trays until after their rivals were gone, and even then they remained watchful for trouble.

To an outsider, it might have seemed ridiculous, but to one training to become a Sith, it was a necessary display of power.

Even meal times at the Academy were an exercise in establishing dominance. The four that had been sitting at the table were only first level acolytes and not in the same class as the two girls from Korriban.

A red tunic was not just a status symbol here, it was a warning. Be prepared to get out of our way or else.

Most students were smart enough to understand that.

Avaryss was not above using her ally's' status to her advantage. Though her own blue tunic marked her as no better than those they had run off, her choice in company did. Nass and Taya had accepted her into their circle, they had marked her as a fellow student on the way up, and from within that circle, she now enjoyed at least some of the protection and respect that Nass and Taya enjoyed.

It would serve, for now, at least until she achieved second level status herself. In the meantime, she was not above staying within her ally's' protective shadow.

It was in her best interest to do so, and so far, that interest was rising.

Intimidating their fellow students was no small thing, even a first level acolyte could be dangerous, let alone four. Alone, Avaryss would never have attempted such a power play. Being a first level herself she would not have been able garner such respect on her own, even if she had gathered other first level students to her side,

No…this was made possible only through her triple alliance with Taya and Nass, an alliance that was serving them all quite well.

The three took their seats. Taya made a face at the rations that the staff had provided for them. It was not the type of food you would enjoy in the central tower, but at least you would not go hungry.

"You think they are trying to poison us?" the blonde acolyte asked pouting.

"Just eat it," Nass advised, "We will make another hunt tomorrow, earn some points and eat a fine meal in the tower by the end of the week."

Avaryss nodded, they _could_ do that she supposed, but the more frugal part of her thought that they should save their points towards something grander, maybe the use of a speeder to make it deeper into the jungle, or a military escort, a reward that would make finding something truly dangerous easier to kill.

Something that would earn them enough prestige to get out of here once and for all, it had only been about a month since her arrival, but already Avaryss was eager to try and earn herself a spot on Korriban.

I can do it, she realized, I just need to endure long enough to reach that goal, which meant eating this lovely meal that sat before her now.

Lovely, she thought to herself.

Just lovely.

"It could be worse," Avaryss said with a shrug, "They could be forcing us to eat what we catch in the jungle. Now I don't know about you, but this stuff is probably safer than anything we could catch out there."

Taya nodded, but still did not look pleased. Having been born into wealth on Dromund Kaas she was not used to simple fare like military grade survival rations.

That was the whole point though.

Coping with such things was just another lesson of the academy. Do what was necessary to survive, which could mean anything from slaying an enemy to enduring bad food and the hot climate of this world.

All these lessons led to one final destination, the chance to become a full Sith.

No one balked when faced with that goal.

It was why they were here.

Why they were _**all**_ here.

Fury 9 had taught Avaryss the basics, how to think and fight like a Sith. It had taught her self-determination, to embrace her hatred, and when to use her killer instinct. Butcher's Clearing offered different lessons, that and a chance to apply what she had learned. Here a young Sith learned the value of forming alliances, and using those alliances to advance your agenda. She had seen some of that back on Fury, but nothing like it was here. Here, you absolutely _**needed**_ allies, it was the only way to truly advance.

In the clearing, allies were necessary.

She was fortunate to have found Nass and Taya. They had both proved more than useful.

Avaryss smiled to herself.

She had not realized how lonely her journey had been up to now. The path to power had been hard, with only her desire to succeed to push her forward. Now, she had others to share that journey with, it was yet another motivator, and it served her well.

There had been few girls hew own age back home. None of their neighbors had been willing to risk their daughters being friends with the overseer's child. Pamir and Talitha had helped, but they were still children, in a year or two Pamir might become a friend, but that had never happened. Now, though, being around girls her own age, it made her feel like she truly fit somewhere. For the first time in a long time, Avaryss felt like she belonged.

She had missed that feeling, needed it.

It felt good to have sisters again.

 _Careful,_ the dark voice inside her warned; _do not get_ _ **too**_ _use to this arrangement. These two may be allies now, but they are not friends or family. Either one could betray you at the first hint of weakness._

 _You must prepare yourself for that. You must remain on guard._

The thought killed any thought of affection for her two allies, she actually felt ashamed for thinking so. She felt stupid. The smart move was to recognize that they were only a means to an end. She remembered what she had learned during her first trial of blood.

 _Beware your master, beware your apprentice,_ it seemed wise to include _beware your fellows_ to that lesson as well.

This was an alliance of convenience, nothing more. She could not trust them and they could not trust her, anyone who said otherwise was a fool.

Avaryss did not have time for fools.

Yet, in spite of this knowledge, the alliance needed to be maintained.

It was her best chance to survive this place.

They had spent the first few weeks of this alliance getting to know each other, they had all been slow to give up any information at first, not willing to trust, but with time, the three had let down their guards and come to know each other's histories, or at least enough of it that they were comfortable working together.

Avaryss shared the fact that she was an overseer' daughter, if for nothing else, to remind her fellows that she had come from a family that had wielded some power back home. She also shared that her family had been murdered in front of her by a rival; it was a common enough occurrence in the Empire to insure that they would ask no more about it. She did not mention Darth Feer's name or any detail about the Imperial Missions aid in getting her off Oridanna.

She could not afford to take any chances.

For all she knew, Darth Feer might have been an ally of Taya or Nass' families. He might have even had blood ties to one or both of them.

She could not, and would not risk him finding out about her, not yet. She still had too much to learn.

When she was finally fully Sith, that would change, but for now, it was safer to remain silent.

Knowledge was power, she knew, and to be unknown was to be unbeatable.

Nass' father was an inquisitor back on Dromund Kaas. Her mother had died when she was a toddler, and so had little effect on the girl growing up. The Lord Inquisitor, as Nass called her father, had not been the most caring of parent, but he had instilled in her a fierce loyalty to the Empire, and an extreme desire to see their enemies punished.

There was little affection between the two, Avaryss recognized. Nass did not even know if her parents had married for love or if it had simply been a business arrangement, a matter of power, it did not matter in the end she supposed.

The woman was dead, and the daughter's relationship with the father was a cool one at best. The man chose to spend his time either at work or with one mistress or another.

"Let the Lord Inquisitor do what he wants, for now" Nass said dismissively, "One day, when I'm strong enough, I will seize my family's assets."

She smiled wickedly.

"On that day, he will learn what a good Sith I am."

Avaryss nodded.

That was the way of the Sith, but still…

…She _**was**_ grateful that she would never have to make that choice herself.

She was not sure she would have had the strength to "retire" her parents; she felt too much affection towards them.

In this matter, at least, it was better that they were already gone.

Nass likely would never have understood that.

Taya was another matter.

"My parents are both still alive and in good health," She informed them one night. "Dad is a merchant. Mum is a Sith."

"I think you can tell who wears the pants in that relationship," Nass said dryly.

Avaryss had giggled when she heard that.

"You would be surprised," the blonde girl continued, "My parents have…a strange connection to each other through the Force. Dad is not Force sensitive, but the link they share is quite strong, he probably is one of the few people who can calm Mum down when she gets worked up. She has a fierce temper, but she loves my father just as fiercely. Their marriage was more than just a business arrangement. Their work keeps them apart for long periods, but as a result, their affection for each other remains strong; even after eighteen years of marriage. Even today they are strongly attracted to each other."

Taya smiled.

"We should all be so lucky to find such love one day."

Avaryss frowned.

She was not sure what to make of that.

 _Peace is a lie; there is only passion, through passion I gain strength._

That _**was**_ the Sith code, but at the same time, love could be a chain, attachment could hold you back.

How strong would Taya's mother have become had she not been so attached to her husband?

The whole thing seemed contradictory to her.

Attachment could lead to great passion, but it could be a weakness if discovered by an enemy.

"Do your parents quarrel," she asked, "I can't imagine your mum would back down during an argument."

"They are like any other married couple," Taya shrugged, "They fight sometimes, but it never goes beyond words. Mum has too much self-control to lose her temper and use her powers on father. He and his business are the center of our family's entire power base."

"Have there ever been any serious problems between them?" Nass asked.

Taya gave her an arched look.

"That is a little inappropriate, don't you think?"

"Can't blame me for being curious," she replied, "Most Sith marriages are rarely completely blissful."

Taya sighed.

"They did have one issue a few years back, more than a few really; I think I was about eight at the time. Mother got it into her head that father might have a mistress somewhere. He is a bit of a rogue you see, and quite charming, but that is part of his job. Anyway, Mum was worried that when he was gone on his business trips that he was actually going to see another woman, perhaps more than one."

"Did she confront him about it?" Avaryss asked.

"She could have I supposed, but she decided to be more… _proactive_ instead. She put a tracer on his ship, and followed him discreetly. She wanted to be sure she was right before she chose to act."

"What was she planning to do if she confirmed her suspicions?" Nass asked.

"I don't know," Taya admitted, "I don't think that even Mum knew."

"It probably would not have been good," Avaryss said.

"In that we are in agreement," Taya said nodding.

"It likely would have been very bad."

Avaryss' heart beat a little faster; suddenly she was very interest in this story.

What would a Sith wife do if she caught her husband with another woman?

What would she do in such a situation?

"Was he cheating?" Nass asked, "Did she catch him with anyone?"

Taya grinned.

"No," she replied, "Father, surprised her by being completely and utterly loyal. Mother was so touched that she contacted him on his final stop, asked that they have dinner together, and so that she could apologize for thinking so less of him."

"I imagine your dad, enjoyed that," Avaryss chuckled.

 _It was not often that a Sith swallowed her pride and admitted that she had been wrong._

"I'm sure he did," Taya giggled, "Mum came home from that trip pregnant with my little brother."

Avaryss laughed.

"So your Dad got an apology, and a son out of the deal," she said grinning.

"Lucky him."

"I suppose so," Taya said smiling fondly, "I was not pleased at the time though. I had liked being an only child."

Taya's story gave Avaryss pause.

Perhaps it was possible to find love, even for a disciple of the dark side? Perhaps the love of a spouse was strong enough to endure even in the darkest shadows.

Maybe she would find a love like that one day.

"Is your mum a lord?" she asked Taya.

"She never rose that far, I'm afraid," Taya admitted, "She is content to be a warrior in the service of the Empire, still is quite lethal even today."

"Is that who taught you the double blade?"

The blonde nodded.

"I grew up watching her train with her sword. When I was a baby she would put the crib in her training room so that she could make sure I was alright."

Taya smiled fondly.

"My first lullaby was the hum of a lightsaber and two dancing ruby lights."

"Why did she not take you to apprentice," Nass asked, "It sounds like she would have been a fine master?"

"Mum wanted me to have a more formal education. Her training on Korriban was quite brief; the war was going on at the time and Sith warriors were needed on the battlefield."

"She ever fight any Jedi?" Avaryss asked.

"Of course, her first kill was a Jedi Master, or so I've heard. She was quite young at the time, maybe about our age. The old fool thought he could turn her, get her to fall to the light. He underestimated Mum's commitment to the Empire."

The story made Avaryss blood boil.

 _Jedi filth_ , she thought.

 _Was there no end to their corruption?_

"Anyway, Mum wanted me to go through the full training program on Korriban. She hopes that I might become a lord, that I might take our family up the next rung of the social ladder."

"Is she going to complete your training after Korriban?"

"I don't think so," Taya frowned, "The master and apprentice relationship between Sith is…adversarial, perhaps _**too**_ adversarial for Mum to risk."

"In other words," Nass said smiling wickedly, "She would rather you kill a stranger and expand your family's power base, rather than risk her sweet little girl slipping into her bedroom one night and slaying her in her sleep."

Both Avaryss and Taya winced at that remark. Taya even turned a little pale, clearly considering what being her Mum's apprentice would mean.

"You put it rather bluntly Nass, but yeah," she admitted, "Mum has no desire to put me in such a position."

"Or more likely, herself," Nass added, grinning triumphantly.

"I suppose so," Taya said meekly.

Avaryss touched the blonde girl's shoulder offering her support.

She smiled weakly, grateful for the attempt.

Still Avaryss had no words. She had read enough in the Sith library back on Fury to know where the Sith master and apprentice relationship ended, but never had she put one and one together until that moment.

The apprentice kills the master to prove his or her dominance that was their way. The thought of bringing family ties into that relationship.

It was enough to give anyone pause.

If she was to reach her goal, she would have to attract a master, someone willing to teach her, and complete her training. Training in the Force was an _intimate_ experience. Strong bonds were created through that training, bonds that bound both master and apprentice. She might even grow to respect her master, to care for him or her as a surrogate parent, similar to the way she had come to feel about Master Adaz.

 _Remember the trial of blood,_ the dark voice said; _Adaz hurt you so you would not be soft, that you would do what was necessary when the time came._

Do _**not**_ forget your lesson.

 _Beware your master. Beware your apprentice._

The final result of that relationship was clear.

Eventually she would have to challenge her master. She would either kill him or her, or he or she would kill her. It was that willingness to cut the bonds between teacher and student that made the Sith strong.

When the time came there would be no allies or tricks. When an apprentice reached that final defining moment, they stood truly alone.

Master versus apprentice, and it would only end in death, by a single stroke of a lightsaber.

The master is dead, long live the new master!

It was daunting, but it was the path she had chosen, she had no right to question it. It had served the Empire well in one form or another for thousands of years.

Who was she to question their ways.

She simply had to accept it.

Nass clearly had, and Taya should, considering her origin.

Avaryss sighed.

 _It is not for me to question. I'm still just a student,_ she thought.

 _And I still have much to learn._


	19. Ambush

**Chapter 19: The Ambush**

"How bad is it, Farm Girl?"

Avaryss sighed as she inspected Nass' injuries; they were not good to be sure. A series of angry red welts on her back and shoulders, she carefully peeled off one of the medical patches the droid had placed on the other girl's back. The medicine seemed to be doing little to heal the bright red angry bump.

Not that she and Taya were doing much better. They all had their share of stings to deal with. Avaryss herself had a very nasty one on her neck and two more on her shoulders. Taya had two on her face, one on her cheek and one on her forehead.

The trio may have come back, but they looked anything but winners.

 _So much for our successful hunt,_ she thought morosely, _still we came back alive._

 _Those that tried to oppose us did not._

"Well…it is not good," she admitted to her ally, "I think the medical droids got all the stingers out, but the kolto patches seem to be doing little to bring down the swelling."

The young acolyte shook her head.

"We probably all could have done with a good soaking in a kolto tank, but since our injuries are _**not**_ life threatening, I think we can forget about that.

The brown haired girl shook her head.

Pain was a lesson, that was the way of the Sith. When a student endured pain, they were supposed to learn from it, let it fill them with anger, resent those who had caused it, and those above them that forced them to endure it, and through both, fuel their power. It was considered a necessary teaching tool.

That did not mean that a suffering acolyte had to like it.

Nass certainly didn't, and Avaryss was not overly fond of it herself.

"The least the Overseer could have done was let us spend the night in the tower," Nass complained, "We have only been back an hour and I already feel soiled. If these wounds get infected…

The Inquisitor's daughter growled like an angry predator.

"Someone is going to suffer for this.

Avaryss nodded. It was several hours after dark and the jungle heat remained as oppressive as ever, there was not even a decent cool breeze off the water tonight.

They were sweating, sticky, and miserable. Spores floated through the air and stuck to their skin. The cooling unit in the barracks they had claimed was malfunctioning, again. Add into the fact that the other biting insects on this world all seemed to be drawn by either sweat or blood. The trio was in for a very uncomfortable evening.

The netting over the windows was supposed to keep the bugs out, but if the buzzing in the room was any clue, it was clear that it was simply not up to the task.

It only served to frustrate the three acolytes, fueling their anger and hate. Opening them up more and more to the dark side, this was probably the whole point.

How else were they to learn to embrace their destinies?

All three were also running low grade fevers, which did little to improve their moods. The Force had saved them from the worst effects of shadow wasps' sting, burning away much of the poison that had been delivered into them by creatures. Thank the Emperor for that small miracle. None of them were hallucinating, or retching their guts out, but that did not mean that poisons still did not have them in its sway.

The fever was just something they would have to endure, only time would see it pass, much like the welts that made them all so pretty this evening.

Taya lay collapsed on Avaryss' bunk staring blankly up at the hard metal roof. Beyond the windows the sounds of the academy intruded on their solitude as the three girls licked their wounds. She had gotten the worst of the insects' attack while they had been fleeing the trap laid by their foolish, and recently deceased, rivals.

The blonde's eyes were glassy; perhaps she was still suffering the wasps poison, maybe even still caught in minor hallucinations, as she seemed to being looking at something far beyond the ceiling above her.

What that was, Avaryss could only guess.

"Master of us all, hear my prayer," Taya murmured, "Save me from this place and I promise I will never complain about a Dromund Kaas summer again. Take pity on your humble servant, and show her the way."

Avaryss snorted with amusement.

"I doubt the Emperor has time to concern himself with our worries," she said, "But if you hear back from him, let us know in advance. I would like to get a chance to clean up first before our all-knowing master drops by."

Taya did not respond; she just kept staring up into space. She closed her eyes and started murmuring under her breath.

Nass laughed, but her laugh turned to a pained hiss when Avaryss tried to reapply the patch she had removed.

The brown haired acolyte's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Someone is going to suffer for this," She growled, "Mark my words."

Avaryss nodded.

When the time came, she would be more than willing to help her ally deal with…well…whoever they chose to blame.

Such pain did deserve a response.

IOI

They had pooled their points together, and managed to purchase a speeder to take them into the deep jungle, with so many acolytes hunting by themselves in the immediate area around the academy, prey of any real value had quickly become scarce.

All three acolytes had agreed that they needed something bigger, that if they were going to impress Overseer Alaria and earn a spot off this rock they would need to be more proactive.

Truly valuable prey would not simply fall into their laps; they needed to take the initiative.

This hunt was the most logical step.

Taya drove while Avaryss and Nass reached out with the Force seeking something truly grand. Occasionally one of the girls would shout out directions, drawing on what they were feeling through the Force to find what they sought.

It had worked like a charm, and soon they had managed to locate something truly exceptional, it radiated with the dark side, and would not fall easily.

Good, Avaryss had thought at the time….

It is just what we were looking for.

She could feel the malevolent presence of the beast through the Force.

And, unfortunately, it could feel them.

As Taya maneuvered closer, the speeder was nearly wrecked by a flying tree, thrown by their quarry. The beast had caught their scent and was already taking steps to defend itself.

Taya brought the speeder down with a skid, and the three acolytes leapt out, blades at the ready,

The monster stood outside its cave roaring a challenge.

Avaryss pushed down the fear that rose up at the sight of the beast.

She needed to remain focused.

A creature like this would not fall easily.

It towered above them, ten perhaps twelve feet tall. Its pale mottled skin blended in with the pale rock that jutted out from the juggle floor. It large clam-like mouth was filled with jagged meter long spike like teeth. Red baleful eyes glared out from beneath a heavy brow, as the beast raised its long arms, its short stubby fingers ending in sword-like yellow claws.

Avaryss had never heard of anything like it, not even during her studies in the library back on Fury. The creature was likely some alchemically created beast, something the ancient Sith seemed to enjoy leaving on their holdings to menace those who dared trespass, a quick death to the untrained or unenlightened.

Fortunately, the three girls _**were**_ trained, trained and hungry for prestige,

The beast's teeth and claws would make excellent trophies.

Killing such a thing would be more than enough to prove to all that the three acolytes were ready to proceed to the next stage of their training.

Nass and Taya darted in with their blades, while Avaryss stood back trying to use her dark side abilities to confuse and weaken the great predator.

The two girls from Dromund Kaas were red and black blurs, the Force enhancing their speed as they engaged their larger, more savage, opponent. Training blades sparked as they delivered heavy electrical charges into the monsters flesh, charges that would have shorted out the nervous system of any smaller lifeform

On this thing though, all it seemed to be doing was pissing the monster off.

Avaryss moved in, her powers should be more than enough to tip the scales in their favor.

They attack the body, she thought, I'll get its mind.

She dove into the Force, looking for a weakness to exploit.

She nearly staggered back when she first made contact.

The monster had nothing that could be called conscious thought.

It was almost pure rage.

It lunged forward, trying to scoop her up in its clawed hands.

Avaryss danced away, drawing her war blade and slashing deep into its thick skin.

The monster roared, whirling around, seeking to flay her bloody for daring to attack it.

She let the dark side lift her up. Letting herself be guided by its rhythm as she and her fellows continued to assault the beast with both blades and lightning.

They harried the beast, despite its great size and strength; it could not match their speed…at least that it is how it started.

In the beginning the attacks seemed to be nothing, they only seemed to enrage the monster further, and the more enraged it became, the quicker and more savage its strikes became.

In short, the fight was not going well.

Nass only just avoided being impaled on those claws. Avaryss was almost squashed twice as the monster brought down hammer like blows on the three acolytes.

This is _**not**_ working, Avaryss realized.

If only we had lightsabers, this fight would be going entirely different.

Of course, they did not have lightsabers, and the wounds that her war blade and her fellows training blades were making were simply not doing enough damage.

They needed to change tactics.

Nass flipped away from the beast, and began using the Force to hurl rocks at it. These were not large enough to do any lasting damage, but that was not the point. They were all going towards the monster's face its eyes, distracting it.

"Farm Girl," Nass shouted, there is a cut on that things neck, below the jaw, do you see it?"

She looked, seeing exactly what her ally was talking about.

She nodded.

"On my command, try to stick your sword in that wound, get it in as deep as you can. Then fall back, I got an idea."

Though she did not like the idea of letting go of her weapon, she nodded.

If Nass had an idea that would bring them victory, she was willing to listen.

Simply attacking the thing wasn't working.

Maybe something more subtle was called for.

"Taya, bring it over here, get it facing us."

The blonde complied with Nass' orders, she moved between the great beast's legs, striking out with her double bladed sword as she went.

The monster whirled towards them, roaring in both pain and defiance.

Nass increased the barrage of rocks and debris into the creature's eyes; it took a step back, raising its mighty head.

It was what she had been waiting for.

"NOW!"

Avaryss lunged forward.

She leapt into the air and buried her war blade deep into the pale creature's neck, right where the wound was slowly leaking dark red blood.

She buried the blade almost up to its hilt; part of her had hoped that would be the end of it. That the monster, with its thick hide pierced, might be ready to take its final fall.

That did not happen.

It reached down with its huge hands; it was only through the will of the Force that she managed to avoid getting impaled. Those monstrous blades tore her tunic, leaving small bloody scratches across her shoulder and back.

She leaped back landing next to Nass as Taya joined them.

The monster staggered back, trying to remove Avaryss' blade from its neck.

"Lightning," Nass shouted to her companions.

"NOW!"

All three acolytes raised their hands.

Blue violet lightning exploded from their fingertips.

The creature's thick hide had proven resistant to their lightning earlier. No matter how many jolts they sent into it the beast just seemed to shrug it off.

Of course, that was before it had a Sith war blade buried in its neck. The three sent their blasts into the blade's hilt, and from their deep into its flesh.

A single attack, it might have been able to shrug off, but all three acolytes striking as one, their lightning turning the hilt of the war blade white hot!

The monster's body tensed, it shuddered as the lightning assaulted its brain and its nervous system.

The next cry to escape its throat was not one of anger but of agony!

It writhed in pain.

Its agony was like mother's milk to the three would-be Sith.

The dark side rolled over them, the creature's pain bolstering their attacks. All three were drawing on the darkness around them, using it to fuel their power.

Glorious! Avaryss thought, as she tired, she dipped deeper into the flow of darkness around them.

As she fed off it her attack did not only continue, they intensified.

The dark side was **truly** _wondrous!_

The monster tried to advance, its cries now more whimpers than roars. It raised one clawed hand reaching for those that were causing it such pain.

The three did not back down, they put all their strength into one last great blast.

The monster flew back, its eyes exploding from the sheer voltage that was running through its body.

It crashed down hard, shaking the very ground where it struck.

The trio ceased their attack, they were all winded, but grinning, basking in the power of the dark side!

They did not have a chance to enjoy their victory.

As soon as the beast fell, they found _themselves_ under attack.

It was almost the end of them.

A large black mass flew through the air, dropping in front of them. Having exhausted themselves bringing down the monster none of girls had any chance to dodge or fall back.

The mass split open before them like an egg. There was only the briefest of moments to register what had happened, and then it was too late.

The shadow wasp nest broke, and an entire swarm of the things took to the air.

The acolytes were caught in the middle of full blown attack.

They shrieked and scattered.

Shadow wasps were indigenous to this island. They were large black stinging insects about the size of a human pinky. Sith Soldiers went out every day with flame throwers to clear any forming nests away from the academy grounds, but out here, in the jungle, they were numerous.

The only thing that saved them was the fact that they had still been shielding themselves with the Force when the ambush came. Had their attackers waiting only a few moments more, all three would have been stung so badly that they would not have been able to stand much less retaliate.

It had been a fatal blunder on the attacker's part.

Despite the pain of multiple stings, Avaryss still had the will to use the Force to push the swarm back. Using the pain to fuel her, she sent a wave of telekinetic force to crush the life from many of the insects that were assaulting her.

She glanced over and saw Nass doing the same. Taya was on her knees having been in the center of the swarm when it struck.

Avaryss came to her ally's aid; she pushed the swarm back and gave Taya some room to recover.

A wave of dizziness washed over her, her stomach turned and she retched painfully.

"THEIR POISON!" she heard Nass shout, "BURN IT AWAY! AWAY!"

Avaryss only partially heard her over the sound of her own guts emptying, but she still had enough composure left to obey.

She called on her anger, its fury rushed through her like a cleansing flame. Burning away the toxin the shadow wasps carried.

She was still dizzy, but her head was clearing, and she no longer felt like she wanted to simply lie down and empty the full contents of her stomach.

In that brief moment, through the horrible pain of many stings she saw the ones responsible.

The world turned red around her.

There were six of them all first level acolytes like herself. She recognized some of them, she realized, the four fools that they had removed from their place at dinner several days ago.

Apparently, they must have held a grudge.

Two remained aboard their craft while their four fellows dropped down, moving over the carcass of the slain monster like parasites summoned to feast on a corpse.

 _That is what they are_ , _**parasites**_ , the dark voice within her said; _they must have followed you out here. They must have thrown down that nest upon you._

Her hands curled into angry fists.

Her mouth turned upwards in an angry snarl.

 _They thought to use the bugs to murder you, and steal your kill, the prestige of killing that mighty beast._

 _ **Good** plan_, part of her thought, _I wish we would have thought of it._

Of course, if they had, they would not have made the mistake these first level acolytes had.

They would have waited until just the right time to release the wasps.

That was their mistake, she thought.

It was their _**final**_ mistake.

They would answer.

Her war blade was still buried in the monsters throat, but that did not mean she was defenseless.

She reached out with the Force towards their attackers' speeder.

She was not strong enough to fling it down, or crush it like an egg, but that was not her goal.

She crushed the vehicle's fuel cell; liquid fuel began to spray out over the hot engine parts.

The speeder disappeared in a ball of flame!

The surviving ambushers had been so busy trying to collect their prize that they had not bothered to make sure Avaryss and her allies were dead. They had assumed their trick with the shadow wasps would do it for them.

It had been a poor assumption on their part.

She targeted the one closest to her; he had supposed to have been standing guard, his training saber held loosely in his hand.

It was child's play for her to wrench it from his grip, and send it flying into her hand.

Letting her hate guide her she leapt into air, powering the blade to maximum.

She came down hard on the fool's skull, the blade destroying his brain in seconds.

He fell without a whimper.

It was only then that his remaining allies turned, they powered up their own blades, preparing to attack.

Avaryss dropped back into her Soresu guard, preparing to meet their attack.

She was not alone.

Nass leapt to her aid, followed closely by Taya. Both had weathered the ambush, and despite the pain they were all clearly in, were hungry for blood.

Hungry for _**vengeance.**_

As Avaryss deflected an attack by one of their enemies, Soresu gave her a chance to truly witness her allies fighting style first hand. She fell back as her opponent rained down blows upon her. His style though was only the basic Shii-cho, with a bit of Makashi thrown in, predictable, she thought, sloppy.

Master Adaz would have killed a student who allowed his form to become so inept.

 _So would I_ she realized, _though not all at once._

She grinned; she would have a bit of fun before she ended this one, let him think he had a chance.

Her fellows were not so generous.

Despite her smaller height, Nass was bit more muscular than her two companions; it aided her well in her chosen style of Djem-So, the aggressor style. Her attacks were straight forward, bullying and brutal.

Taya was more elegant; her double blade aided her in the use of Ataru, the acrobat style. She flipped and tumbled around her enemy, her double blade whirling every time he tried to get in close. The shadow wasps might have slowed her slightly, but with her anger lifting her up, she was still quite lethal.

In single one on one duel, the first levels were no match for Avaryss and her allies.

Nass finished hers off first, ending it with a cut across the neck, leaving a black burn scar as the acolyte fell.

Taya stabbed out with her training sword, striking her opponent in chest, likely breaking ribs, and stopping his heart with a jolt of pure electricity.

He fell back with barely a cry.

Which, of course, left Avaryss and her dance partner; they were all but done as well. Her opponent had grown more and more desperate as their duel continued. His attacks became more and more sloppy, trying desperately to break her defense.

Enough toying, the dark voice within her said.

Finish it!

She did just that.

Still rested, she switched to Makashi, the duelist style, and immediately the tired first level realized he was out matched.

The fight was over three strokes later. He tried to surrender, but this was not a dueling ring back at the academy.

This boy and his friends had tried to murder them.

Mercy was not in the cards today.

She caught him across the chest, and then a quick blow across the head.

He sank dead to the jungle floor.

Avaryss was left tired, but at the same time elated.

They had survived, and their enemy had not.

She drank in the despair that the fallen boy had felt in his final moments.

She turned to Taya and Nass, both were still alive, and they both looked as bad as she would no doubt feel when the adrenalin from the fight finally started to wear off.

They were all out of breath, and something more.

Avaryss blinked.

"It seems we pushed ourselves a little too hard today"

All three girls' eyes had changed, no longer were they the color they had been born with, but the glowing gold of true Sith. Such change was quite common after a year or more of training. The dark side could exact a high physical toll on its user.

Avaryss caught a glimpse of herself in a small pond on the way back to their speeder, those strange yellow eyes staring back at her.

She felt a brief twinge of sadness.

 _I was born with my mother's eyes,_ she thought, _a shame to lose them._

Of course, that thought died as quickly as it was born.

No, Keera Lylos was born with her mother's eyes, she thought, Avaryss is a Sith, it is only natural that she would have the eyes of a Sith…eventually.

She nodded that was true.

Still it was a shame.

She did not like giving up anything…even something as simple as her mother's eyes.

It was sad, but expected.

Nothing lasted forever.

IOI

They finally made their way back to the academy, the trophies of their hunt on their backs.

Though impressed by what they brought, the injuries that the three had sustained from the shadow wasps kept them from enjoying the fruits of their labor.

They spent the rest of the afternoon in medical being checked out by the droids serving there. If anyone knew anything about the acolytes that had ambushed them, they chose to say nothing.

What had happened and whose idea it had been would remain a mystery for now.

This of course led them back to where they were now, licking their wounds and trying to endure the heat.

Not the best end to a successful day.

Avaryss stood and stretched. The stings burned, but the swelling should be better by morning.

Taya had passed out in her bed. She should have kicked the other girl out, but decided to be merciful; just this once, she would let her ally sleep, it was the least she could do.

She glanced over at Nass who was looking at herself in the mirror, at the ugly red wounds left by the ambush, she was not happy.

"How do you think those first levels earned enough prestige to take out a speeder, Farm Girl," she asked.

"I don't know," she replied, "I don't remember seeing them among the rest of the earners we've seen."

Nass nodded.

It was clear that the ambush they had survived may not have been as simple as it appeared.

"I asked around while you two were in medical, the brown hair girl said, "According to one of the Inquisitors here, only two speeders were checked out today, one to us, and the other by an outside source."

Avaryss' brow furrowed.

"What kind of _outside source_?"

Nass shrugged.

"It happens sometimes. Some wealthy fool from Korriban decides to take out a rival during their trials here. Pays a bunch of nobodies to try and carry it out. It works sometimes, and even when it doesn't it sends a message."

Avaryss gave her ally a curious look.

"You think someone was targeting you or Taya?

"Probably, though I can't think of anyone who would wish to go to all the trouble. We're good but were not _**that**_ good. I can't think of anyone who would want to test us."

Nass shook her head.

"What about you, Farm Girl?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, make any powerful enemies lately?"

She shook her head no.

As far as she knew, nobody from her past knew she was here, not anyone with the power or the will to do what Nass suggested anyway. The Imperial mission had no grudge against her. Overseer Phylon had not really liked her, but she doubted that he would go to all the trouble of having her attacked now that she was out of his hair.

Adaz _might_ have done it to test her resolve, but that was not really his style, and besides he had wanted her to succeed, sending killers against her would do nothing to help achieve that goal.

"No," she told Nass.

"Nothing springs to mind."

The brown haired girl sighed and nodded.

"Maybe I'm reading too much into this," she said, "Maybe it **was** just a few acolytes with a grudge.

Maybe, Avaryss thought staring into the mirror in the corner of their room. Her eyes had returned to normal no longer were they glowing yellow.

 _Keera's eyes_ , she thought to herself, _and probably Keera's problems._

She sighed, feeling both pain and exhaustion.

Maybe Nass was right, maybe it was nothing but a few acolytes with a grudge that threw their lives away trying to steal a big score.

Then again, she thought with a deepening frown.

Maybe not.


	20. The Opportunity

**Chapter 20: The Opportunity**

"Your master orders you to seek out the Pyramid of Knowledge, to which lord do you go?"

Avaryss' brow furrowed in thought, she had only learned about the Pyramid last night, she struggled to remember what Nass had said.

There were exercises that allowed a Sith to enhance their memory, to aid in recall, she had learned them on Fury, and now used them to try and remember what the Inquisitor's daughter had said.

 _The cyborg…and the dark lord who was both old and young…_

It took her a moment…and then….

"Scotia," she answered quickly, "Or Lord…Lord…Zam?"

"Zash," her ally corrected, "Scotia or Lord Zash, they are two of the most well-known members of the Pyramid."

Avaryss cursed under her breath.

 _Zash,_ she thought angrily, _of course._

 _I should have remembered_ _ **that.**_

The two acolytes were sitting on the floor of Avaryss' quarters. Nass had agreed to teach her about the politics of the Empire, and more importantly the rivalries she knew about on Dromund Kaas. As an Inquisitor's daughter, she had had the opportunity to hear much about the various rivalries and strife that swirled around the Empire's leadership. As part of their alliance, Avaryss had convinced her to share what she knew.

Thus…her education continued, despite the lack of curriculum that she had found in the Butcher's Clearing Academy.

It was not nearly enough to hunt and work with the staff here, she had so much more to learn.

For that reason, she turned to her fellows. Nass and Taya were a well-spring of information!

She intended to _exploit_ it.

"Could you approach them both?" Nass asked, "How would that work out for you?"

"Not well, they are currently rivals, or so you told me last night. Mentioning one to the other would not be very…smart. However, if I wished to prod either into helping, it might be wise to bring up my desire to harm their rival to them. It might motivate them to be more…forthcoming with their knowledge."

"It might indeed," Nass said smirking cruelly, "Never waste the chance to use a rivalry to your advantage. If you wanted to go over them, to which lord would you speak with?"

"Darth Thanaton," she answered confidently, the exercise she had used earlier finally really taking effect, "He is staunch traditionalist though, so that might be tricky. Tradition must be followed."

"Good," Nass said grinning, "Very good."

"We will make a political animal out of you yet, Farm Girl."

Avaryss smiled slyly.

 _Knowledge_ _ **was**_ _power._

And she was working hard on expanding hers.

If she could not win the attention of the Overseer, she needed to seek knowledge elsewhere. Her two allies had spent their whole lives on Dromund Kaas and knew much of what it meant to survive there. She would need that knowledge as she moved forward, command of the Force was good, but understanding the game of politics was equally useful, especially if she wished to excel.

She had offered what she had learned on Fury to her allies in exchange for what they knew about life in the corridors of power. Phylon's teachings, plus what she had learned in the library back on Fury, proved to be valuable here. She was surprised that Nass and Taya did not know everything that she knew already.

They would have gotten there eventually, she realized, probably after they returned to Korriban from this place, still what I offer seems new to them and gives them an advantage over the other students here. It is stuff I already know so it is no danger to me, so…

Why not share it?

Nass offered her a glimpse into the workings of the Sith Order at its highest levels. Her father was quite highly place and heard many rumors in the course of carrying out his duties. His daughter, ever dutiful, and looking for an edge over him, paid their servants well to keep her apprised; you never knew when the opportunity for advancement would come along.

What Taya offered was no less valuable, she had begun tutoring Avaryss in the social graces of Dromund Kaas. She promised to teach her how to move, think and speak like a Sith noble.

"Many of the lords you will encounter will be arrogant snobs," Taya warned her, "they respect only power, and the prestige of their station.

"If you wish to live among them and succeed, you must become like them."

To that end, Avaryss and Taya spent several hours a night discussing Dromund Kaas' high society, and how it impacted the Sith Order. What was popular and what was not. They spoke of everything: trends in food, dancing, music, and art. Who was currently in favor in the high social circles and who was a pariah.

The blonde had even offered to give Avaryss voice lessons, to help her lose her Oridanna accent.

"Speak and dress like you are a Sith of high stature, and the other lords will welcome you into their circle. Your power will be what gets you through the door, but after that, you must rely on both charm and cunning to remain there."

Taya smiled.

"If you have those three weapons on your side, your ascension is assured."

Avaryss drank up both her allies' lessons. Even if the players changed before she made it out of here, it would be useful to know who had come before, and what the newcomers relationship with the fallen had been.

It would give her a good idea what she would face moving forward.

 _I must fit in_ , Avaryss realized, _once I have found a proper master, I must disappear among the Sith ranks._

Anonymity would be her shield, it would allow her to move safely and freely among the Sith while at the same time gathering what she needed to move against her enemy when the time was right.

She would do her Sith Master's bidding, but at the same time, she would keep an eye out for Darth Feer and ways to hurt him, and to build up her own power base for that inevitable confrontation…

…And yes, she knew, it would be inevitable.

"Have you ever heard of a Dark Lord named Feer, Nass," she asked.

"Feer?" her ally replied, "It sounds familiar. I think I've heard the name once or twice, why do you ask?"

"Curiosity," she said with a shrug. "I heard his name mentioned several times concerning a lord who perished almost a year ago. Lord Feer took over his holdings."

She gave her a friend a sly smile.

"If you have heard anything juicy, I would like to know."

Nass' brow furrowed with thought.

"As I've said, I've heard the name before. I will ask around, see if anyone else knows more."

"I would appreciate that," Avaryss said bowing her head in gratitude.

"It would be large load off my mind."

She had tried to keep her questions about Lord Feer as conversational as possible. She did not wish Nass to know how important it was that she learn about the Dark Lord who know ruled over her home system.

One day, she hoped to oppose him, when that day came she would need a strong power base to back her up. She would need both allies and resources. It was not an easy thing trying to take down a Darth.

The matter would have to be handled delicately; she dared not even consider striking until everything was in readiness.

When it was, she would not hesitate.

On that day, it would be either her or Lord Feer, and it was _**not**_ going to be her.

Two would enter their battle and only one would leave, and when she left, everything the man who murdered her family possessed would be hers, to rule over herself, or to destroy as she saw fit, such was the way of the dark side.

A rival could not be tolerated for long.

He would need to be destroyed. It was the only way she would ever be truly free.

It was a freedom she intended to seek out.

 _Through victory, my chains are broken, the Force shall free me._

And it would, she thought suppressing a smile.

Once Lord Feer and everything he loved was obliterated.

Only then…would she finally be free.

She and Nass had just started discussing Darth Baras and his "rumored" network of invisible spies when Taya returned. The blonde had been summoned that morning to the tower by Overseer Alaria.

 _I hope it is nothing bad,_ Avaryss thought, _she had not had a chance to glean everything she wanted from the other girl yet._

It would be sad to lose such a resource before she had gotten everything she wanted, before it was finally time to discard her.

Taya still had her uses; Avaryss knew it to be true.

She did not wish to lose her…not yet.

Both she and Nass barely acknowledged their ally as she entered, they pretended to barely notice at all. They waited until Taya had started to relax before making their move.

It would be easier that way.

"How was the tower?" Nass asked.

"As well as to be expected," Taya said grinning.

"Did you meet with the Overseer?" Avaryss inquired.

Taya nodded.

"It was not bad news, I hope."

"Are you worried about me, Avy?" she asked, "I'm touched."

Avaryss frowned.

"I merely wished to know what the Zabrak wanted."

Taya giggled.

"I'm sure you _**both**_ do." She said.

Nass rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.

Taya was a good ally, a welcome blade in a fight, but sometimes she could be more than annoying.

In that moment she was annoying both of her allies…

…and they did not like it.

"Are you going to tell us what she said or not?"

Taya's grin widened.

"We've made an impression, all three of us," she began. "Apparently, the overseer felt it when Avy conjured that death field a few weeks back, and she was aware of our ambush in the deep jungle, one of her camera droids caught it.

The blonde girl laughed.

"We are acolytes on the move."

Nass and Avaryss grinned about that.

At least they had gotten noticed, and it seemed that Alaria was not going to penalize them for the deaths of their fellow students in the jungle, which was also good. Academy rules in the jungle were waived, but that did not mean that the overseer or a member of the staff might not hold a grudge if one of their favorites had been killed.

"So she brought you in there to simply praise our performance?" Avaryss asked.

"Yes and no."

Some of Avaryss' pleasure at getting noticed faded.

"What do you mean Tay? Speak plainly."

"As I said, we've gotten noticed, and not just by the Overseer. She is aware that someone from outside the academy arranged that ambush we survived, she is understandably curious about what that means, and wants to know more about us."

"And," Nass asked.

"She asked me to spy on our little group, let her know what we are planning, and report any relevant information to her."

Avaryss frowned.

So, that was the game was it?

Alaria was not interested in _**their**_ advancement; she was hunting a potential ally of her own. If someone with power wanted one of their little circle dead, she might be willing to help arrange that if he or she made it worth the Overseer's while.

At least, that was the conclusion she came to when she thought about it.

She glanced over at Nass; the Inquisitor's daughter was frowning. Perhaps she had come to the same conclusion that Avaryss had.

It was wise to assume among the Sith that you were _**always**_ being plotted against.

 _Beware your master._

She had learned that lesson well during her first trial of blood.

"Did you accept the offer?" she asked.

"I did."

Both Avaryss and Nass looked at each other, both girls' eyes widening.

"You agreed to spy on us, and now you're _**telling**_ us?"

"Of course," Taya responded, "That way we can all come up with what we're going to tell the overseer, make us all appear in the best possible light."

Taya smiled proudly.

"It is not every day that you get a chance to manipulate an Overseer."

Avaryss snorted with amusement.

Taya _**did**_ have a point.

That did not mean that she had made the smart move, however.

It was good that Taya was looking out for the group, but at the same time it was not the smartest of moves. A true Sith would have looked out for herself first, winning an overseer's favor was nothing to sneeze at. She might even have found a way off of this rock.

By choosing the group over herself, she had shown attachment, weakness.

Avaryss frowned.

A good Sith would try to exploit that.

She looked at Nass.

"Would you have taken the overseer's deal?"

"Sure," the brown haired girl shrugged.

"Me too," she confessed, though she probably would not have been so open about it with her allies.

"Then we are in a good spot," Taya beamed, "We can use this to our advantage and continue our rise as planned."

 _They could,_ Avaryss thought, _but it was also possible that Alaria was testing Taya; she might have suspected what the girl would do with the offer, and may have been waiting for Avaryss or Nass to turn her in for it._

If she was, this offer could be worth a great deal of prestige. Taya's light side leanings might finally be coming back to bite her.

It was a risk, but one that could pay off with great prestige, though it did mean making an enemy in the long run, or at least the risk of making one. Taya came from a powerful family, one with both wealth, and the power of the Force, such an enemy could make a young Sith's life miserable if they realized they were responsible for taking down a daughter of their house.

Avaryss nodded.

She would need to give it some thought.

It _**might**_ be worth it.

She would think about it.

The three spent the rest of the day talking about what Taya was going to say in her first report to the Overseer. Nass revealed nothing during this conversation, if she thought along the same lines as Avaryss she did not show it.

Avaryss gave her blonde haired companion an evaluating look.

Did she even realize what she had done? Did she realize she had just bent her neck before a very big ax?

If she did not, then either of her allies would be doing her a favor.

Such a trusting individual did not survive long in the Sith Order.

Taya might not live long enough to realize that.

IOI

Another sweltering day in Butcher's Clearing passed by. The heat had been especially bad today, forcing the apprentices to either stay in their dwellings or pay prestige points to spend the day in the tower.

Avaryss spent her day with the Inquisitors helping them service and repair their equipment; they had no prisoners to interrogate today, so it was a relatively simple day, with a chance to avoid the worst of the heat.

Yet, at the same time, something nagged at her, a feeling in the back of her mind. It was not quite a tremor in the Force, but it was there. A sort of…warning…at least it felt like one.

She was not sure what it meant.

It remained for the rest of the day. As the sun finally dropped below the horizon, the students finally emerged for a late meal and a chance to discuss strategy. A few discussed the possibility of making a night time hunt, but there were few takers.

Avaryss returned to her bed, eager to at least try to get some sleep. The nightmares still troubled her on occasion, but they came fewer as time had gone on.

In those nightmares, her family continued to haunt her, not just their deaths, but their judgment as well. When she did dream of her Mother and Father it was only to hear them criticize her choices, trying to make her regret what she had done in her path to power.

As those dreams continued, her feelings for her family began to change, she still loved them, but she was starting to _resent_ them as well.

 _Why do they never see that I'm doing this for them,_ she wondered, _why must they torment my rest with their harsh looks and evaluating stares?_

She had a rough enough journey to bear; she did not need guilt on top of that.

She entered her quarters to find Nass and Taya already asleep. Their choice to claim this place and live together for protection had seemed a good idea at the time, now knowing what the overseer was planning with Taya, Avaryss was no longer sure this alliance was a good idea.

What if Taya was more cunning than she let on? What if she was lying to them? What if she tried to kill me and Nass in our sleep? What if…?

Avaryss shook her head.

She needed to stop it!

She was turning paranoid!

 _Don't let Alaria's power games frighten you,_ the dark voice within said, _Taya has not betrayed you, not yet at least ,and through her you can keep the overseer off all your backs until you are ready to make a big move and leave this place behind._

Avaryss yawned and stretched. The heat and business of the day had finally caught up with her. The temperature had dropped just enough that she should be able to sleep comfortably.

She slipped off her leggings and tunic and crawled into bed, the voices beyond their quarters were a low murmur barely audible over the night time sounds of the Academy.

She sighed, letting the tension run out of her body. She could hear Taya snoring softly, not loud enough to disturb, but just enough to provide some background noise.

 _Master of us all, hear my prayer,_ she thought, _Grant your servant one night of true rest. Let me not be tortured by my past. Let the dead rest, and me with them._

She yawned, her eyes growing heavier and heavier.

No dreams tonight, she thought.

Please…no dreams.

IOI

She had just nodded off when the chaos began.

The wail of emergency sirens woke the entire academy!

Lights flashed outside bringing Avaryss back from a troubled sleep.

She fell out of bed, striking her knee hard on the ground. She cried out in pain, but that cry was all but drowned out by the sirens that and the roar of heavy weapons.

 _Clumsy nerf,_ she cursed herself, all the while shaking her head, trying to clear it. She staggered to her feet, limping from where she struck her knee.

Something was happening, something big…

She needed to get up and get dressed!

It sounded like a war. She yanked on her leggings, and with that thought another grim realization.

Her eyes widened.

The Academy was under attack!

"Avy," she heard Taya call out.

"What is going on?!"

"On your feet, fools," Nass shouted, "Get out of here!"

"They could blow up the whole Butcher's Block!"

Fear of such an attack was enough to get Avaryss moving; she grabbed her boots, tunic, and used the Force to summon her war blade.

She leapt out of their quarters and turned her eyes skyward.

The night had turned to day.

The academy's anti-ship batteries were firing up into the night sky. It did not look like the Overseer had activated the shield yet; no bubble of energy surrounded them, protecting them from attacks from the air.

Avaryss looked around, confused.

Why had the overseer not raised the shield?

They were all doomed if that shield was down.

Overhead a squadron of Sith fighters screamed. They had likely launched from one of the capital ships in orbit, but…if that was true.

Why were they down here?

Avaryss' brow furrowed.

Shouldn't the fighters be in orbit harrying the enemy?

What were they doing down here?

She emerged to find the Butcher's block in a state of pure confusion, students stumbled out of their rooms looking around, trying to figure out what was going on.

The alarms still blared.

Avaryss glared up at one of the towers, an angry glower on her face.

Shut up, she wanted to shout. We know we are in trouble!

You can turn off the bloody alarms.

She looked over to find Taya and Nass at her side. Both were armed and looked as angry and confused as she felt.

They looked skyward, expecting to find Republic warships engaging the Imperial ships in orbit.

It was a clear night, in the distance the massive warship in high orbit looked like a small knife.

No flashes, Avaryss realized; no explosions.

The ships were **not** under attack!

So what was going on!

Why all the bloody alarms!

Another squad of fighters roared by, heading west after the first group.

What is going on?

Are we under attack or not?

In answer, every one of the Overseer's holo-droids kicked on at the same time. Life size holograms of Overseer Alaria appeared to them.

The Zabrak was grinning broadly, but it was clear from her stance she was anything but happy.

In fact, she looked a little pissed.

Avaryss took that as a good sign.

It was nice to know that the woman _could_ get angry. She was Sith after all.

Avaryss did not trust anyone without a temper.

"Attention students. ATTENTION!" the overseer's holograms said as one, "We have an emergency, and all of you are needed."

The Zabrak grinned flashing them a smile full of bright white teeth.

"There has been an escape. A fugitive has made it out of the tower and managed to grab a ship."

The image changed, showing an imperial shuttle on fire, and losing altitude fast.

The image of Alaria returned.

"Our imperial friends have shot down the stolen shuttle, it has gone down in the jungle, but we cannot rest on our laurels. This prisoner needs to be recaptured or killed, now."

She gave them all wicked looks.

"It falls to you to do this. This prisoner must not escape!"

Avaryss' heart quickened.

She did not know what this was, but she was determined to make the best of it.

Opportunity was knocking.

They would answer it.

Again the image changed, this time showing an alien she had never seen before, green skinned, with large dark eyes, a basic humanoid face, and a mass of head tendrils where the alien's hair should have been.

"This is our prisoner," Alaria continued, "He is both armed and dangerous, and you should use extreme caution in apprehending him."

Again the image of the overseer reappeared.

"To the one of you that finds him, I'm offering great prestige. Korriban awaits the Acolyte that brings this creature back. I would prefer alive, but if that is not possible, I will understand."

Avaryss felt a stirring in her blood.

Finally, she thought.

This is what we have been waiting for!

"Our imperial allies are sending down more search vessels to aid us, you will form up into teams and begin the hunt. It may be wise to start at the crash site; he could not have gone far. The dangers of the jungle are many."

Alaria bowed her head slightly.

"Good luck, Acolytes, May the Force serve you well."

The holo vanished.

The Butcher's Block exploded with activity, everyone rushing around grabbing weapons, clothes and gear.

The hunt was on, and with the prize at stake, it would not be good to be left behind.

Avaryss glanced at her allies; both Taya and Nass wore expression of grim determination.

They would not fail her.

"Seems like overkill," Taya pouted, ""With the whole academy looking the prisoner will be found too easily."

"Maybe," Avaryss agreed, "But that does not mean that we shouldn't join the hunt."

"I think this hunt will be more challenging than anyone suspects," Nass said smiling slyly.

"What makes you think so," Taya asked, "It is just one prisoner?"

"Yes, one prisoner that somehow found a way to escape the tower and steal a ship right out from under the Overseer's nose."

Nass shook her head.

"This is no ordinary prisoner," she said grinning, turning to gather her things in their quarters.

"I wonder if he retrieved his lightsaber," she said over her shoulder, "That would make this hunt really fun!"

Avaryss blinked, realization struck her.

Somehow, she knew Nass was right.

This was no ordinary prisoner, no Republic deserter that turned bounty hunter!

Only one being could have escaped the tower and all the Sith inside. Only one thing could have escaped.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Jedi.

It had to be!

It was the only possibility that made sense.

This creature was a Jedi.

She glanced over at Taya, the blonde did not look fully awake yet, she might not have realized.

Another strike against her, Avaryss thought.

"Come on Taya," she said grinning fiercely.

"We have a Jedi to kill!"


	21. The Prize

**Chapter 21: The Prize**

" **WATCH OUT!"**

Taya gasped as she swung the speeder into a hard left. The speeder's tilting sudden shift nearly causing Avaryss to lose her balance, to fall over the side and into the jungle below and likely to her death.

She saved herself, barely; between the Force and her own skills she managed to hang on until the speeder righted itself.

To the right of them, another acolyte team's speeder swung its search lights back and forth. Over the roar of the engines Avaryss thought she could hear the occupants of the other speeder cursing them, blaming them for nearly causing a crash that would have doomed both teams.

 _Us_ Avaryss thought, _**US!**_

She stood up as Taya finally managed to get control of their vehicle; she started to raise her hand.

"What are you doing?" Nass asked.

Avaryss grinned.

"I'm going to shove a lightning bolt up their…"

The inquisitor's daughter was on her feet in moments, forcing her ally's hand down.

"No!" she shouted.

Avaryss glared at her, her temper was up, and the dark side with it.

She wanted to destroy someone!

"No?' she replied in her most venomously sweet voice.

It was not wise to stand between a Sith and the reason for their rage.

Nass remained unmoved she glared defiantly up at her ally.

"That is _**not**_ what we are here for," she spat, "The escaped prisoner…remember him?"

Avaryss snarled, angry that the other girl had robbed her of her prey…still, she did have a point."

Killing the occupants of the other speeder would not bring them any closer to their goal. In fact, it would likely have made the escapee's life even easier."

She shook her head, and took a deep breath, counting to ten.

The anger faded, and with it, the desire to destroy, at least where the other speeder was concerned.

She would save that for their quarry.

"You are right," she told Nass, "the hunt is what matters."

Avaryss sat down, returning her attention to the sensor station in the small speeder.

She had a job to do, and unlike her fellow students, she had no desire to make things easier for the escapee.

If only the rest of their fellow acolytes felt the same. If they did, this hunt would likely already be done.

Alas, that was not the case.

This is not a search, Avaryss thought morosely.

 _This is_ _ **anarchy!**_

The skies over the jungle were filled with light and the rumble of air-speeder engines. The transports that the Imperials had provided should have made the hunt easy, what with their life form scanners and enhanced maneuvering capabilities, and they might have if not for all the backstabbing and infighting going on.

As far as she knew, at least four search teams had been lost already. She had seen the explosions in the distance. None of these had been lost because of the prisoner, it had all been because the acolytes aboard were too willing to fight each other for either a promising lead, or taking advantage of what they saw was the perfect time to rid themselves of a rival. Add into that that all the light and noise was stirring up every predator for a mile around the crash site. Over the com they could hear acolytes shouting for help because they were being attacked by this monster or that one. The students were having as much trouble dealing with the local wildlife as they were trying to search for the prisoner.

Avaryss shook her head.

Overseer Alaria had made a grave error. She should have assigned the task of finding this enemy to a select group of acolytes and soldiers. People that could work together, and focus on the job at hand... By declaring this an open hunt, far too many of the academy's less talented students were getting in the way of their more powerful brethren.

The comm system was alive with arguing and oaths of vengeance as the students fought for the right to seek their quarry. The air space over where the shuttle had gone down was filled with speeders, many coming within mere meters of a full head on, mid-air collision. The hunt continued, but with so much anger and greed in the air, it had been only a matter of time until things started falling apart.

Fools, Avaryss thought to herself.

If the overseer did not put leashes on some of these dogs, half the student body of Butcher's Clearing could be dead by sun up.

And in the meantime, their quarry remained hidden, elusive.

It did little to help cool the mood of so many overly ambitious acolytes. Many were just looking for an excuse to annihilate their various rivals.

Even a minor slight, at the wrong moment, might be enough to do that, and that would be the end of the hunt.

That is when this hunt turned into a blood bath, and any chance of finding the alien would fade away like a puff of smoke.

Though she would not miss many of her fellows, Avaryss knew the danger of that.

They did not have the time to be settling old scores right now; they had a job to do.

And even a minor infraction would be enough to make that job impossible.

For that reason, they needed to be patient, patient and listened to their overseers.

It was the only way that they all might just make it through this.

Make it through and rise to the next level.

She stared down at the scanner in front of her, it was alive with light and activity, trying to sort through by eye sight alone was giving her a headache, but she tried none the less.

"Anything," Taya asked.

Avaryss laughed fatalistically.

"We're over a jungle, Taya. It is teeming with life, the scanners are _**overloaded**_. How were going to find a single alien in the midst of all that is beyond me."

From her place next to Taya, Nass' brow furrowed. Avaryss had become comfortable with letting the other girl take the lead; her strategies had led them to victory on many hunts. Now she stared at a small holo-map of the academy and the surrounding jungle, trying to figure out their next move.

"Where did you go," the other girl murmured.

"Where would you go?"

Taya risked a glance at the map herself. The blonde acolyte shook her head.

"What a mess," she said, "It looks like the entire academy is out here tonight."

"Mistress of the understatement, as always Taya," Nass snarled with frustration. They had not been able to get near the crash site themselves, too many speeders in the way, giving them no real chance to try and pick up the prisoner's trail.

They were now forced to stay on the outskirts, scanning the jungle and hoping that the prisoner might have made it this far.

Avaryss growled under her breath.

Where was damn thing, she wondered, they were on an island for Emperor's sake! It was not like the creature had an infinite number of places to hide!

The search pattern, though messy, was ever widening, on the ground imperial search times had marched out from the academy providing eyes on the ground, and tips for the acolytes in the air, and still…nothing.

The alien was nowhere to be found!

"He can't get away," Nass growled, trying to figure out their next move. "Even if he makes it out of the jungle to the beaches there is nowhere to go from there. He would not last a minute in the ocean, not with all the predators there."

The inquisitor's daughter shook her head.

"If he is hiding, someone would have found him by now. They would have sensed him, even with everything else out here. So he must be moving, but where…but where?"

Taya glanced at the map again.

"If he is down there, someone will find him. He must be down there somewhere, and if not, maybe something in the jungle got him."

Nass glared at their ally.

"Let us hope not, the prisoner is worth nothing if he is inside the belly of one of those pale monsters."

Avaryss shuddered.

She reached out through the Force trying to sense something. She did not think that their quarry was dead, it didn't feel right.

He _**was**_ down there somewhere, but where?

Taya was right the whole academy had turned out for this hunt, with so many Sith and would-be Sith on the field they…

Her eyes widened as the realization struck her.

That's it, she thought with a cruel smile.

That was it!

She glanced over at the holo map.

Yes, that was it, she was sure of it.

A shiver of anticipation ran down her spine.

"Turn us around Taya," she ordered, and "kill the search lights."

Both the blonde and Nass looked at her like she had gone insane.

"We are going back?" Taya asked.

"We can't just give up!" Nass whined.

Avaryss grinned at them both.

They had been foolish all of them. They had assumed their quarry was trying to get away. What fool didn't run from the might of the Sith…?

…A smart fool...

…A fool who had had no intention of running away.

That had not been his plan at all.

"We are not giving up, we are picking up the trail," she said confidently.

She turned to Nass.

"Are there any holes in the Imperials' net? Any spots where someone trying to go back to the academy could slip through?

The other girl frowned and began to adjust the map, seeking out where their imperial allies were."

She had not figured it out yet, but she would.

Nass was pretty sharp.

"The shuttle crashed in the deep jungle?" Taya reminded her, "Why are we heading back?"

"Because I don't think the prisoner was _**in**_ the shuttle when it crashed. I'm guessing he bailed out before it got too far away from the academy."

Avaryss grinned triumphantly.

"Don't you see? You said it yourselves, there is no way off this island except by ship, the shuttle was doomed from launch, and there were too many Sith in the tower to steal something better.

Nass' eyes widened.

She finally got it.

She gave Avaryss an evil smile.

Their quarry was smart. He had used the Siths' own bloodlust and desire to find their prey against them. They had all rushed forward without thinking!

"He _wanted_ us to chase that shuttle! He _wanted_ the academy to empty into the deep jungle. He _**wanted**_ us fighting each other while we searched the wreckage."

"Because he is nowhere near the shuttle wreck," Avaryss smirked, "I'm guessing he is well inside our search lines right now, might even be back at the academy already."

"And with everyone out here searching for him," Nass added.

"His escape just became very simple indeed."

Nass cursed under her breath.

"Clever alien," she growled hungrily.

"Very clever, indeed!"

Nass turned to Avaryss, a cruel smirk on her face.

"You're a genius, Farm Girl!"

Avaryss shrugged.

"Let us hope I'm right," she said, "It feels right."

"I'm willing to take that chance," Nass said, "It is better than waiting for some other speeder to crash into us, or one of the monsters to bring us down in the jungle with no chance of rescue."

She turned to Taya.

"We are going back. Kill the search lights, take us lower to the trees, and set the engines for silent running."

"Let us catch us a Jedi!"

Taya obeyed.

It was still not certain that the prisoner _**was**_ a Jedi, but if it was, it would make sense. It was said that Jedi were always looking for a way to avoid a fight, to trick their way to victory, rather than rely on their strength. Using the shuttle as a decoy was just the type of move that a Jedi might use.

If so, it would not save him.

The trio was on to him now.

And they would run him down, provided they were right.

The holo-map pinged at it received an update from their Imperial allies. Sith and Imperial movements now showed up as red blips on the map. Giving the girls the location of all forces currently deployed for the hunt.

As they watched two more speeders vanished. Either destroyed by collision, or brought down by wildlife.

In the end, it did not matter which.

Nass looked at the map, looking for any holes in the Imperial blockade.

She smiled cruelly when she noticed one.

"The river," she said, "Our quarry is following the river, I'm sure of it!"

Avaryss glanced at the holo-map herself.

She nodded.

Yes, she believed her ally was right.

The river.

The river flowed down from the mountainous center of the island, flowing down through Butcher's Clearing and all the way down to the sea. Security nets and automated defenses kept the predators from the academy, but beyond that, the route was wide, and virtually undefended.

Perfect if someone wanted to sneak back into the Academy, provided that they could survive the amphibious predators that called the river home.

"Impossible," Taya said, "If this alien is stupid enough to travel by the river, then he is dead. The Hssiss will have had him for dinner."

The mention of the Hssiss gave all three of the girls pause.

They all knew how dangerous the lizards could be.

Shortly after first forming their alliance, the three had decided to hunt on the river, thinking that the water might yield some bigger prey. They had encountered, and nearly been killed by the Hssiss, or dark side dragons as they were more commonly known. Two meter long reptiles that had a taste for the blood of Force sensitives.

The trio had barely escaped with their lives.

"It is a risk, I grant you," Nass said, "But it is one that I'm willing to take."

She grinned at her comrades.

"Where is your sense of adventure, Taya? The danger just makes this hunt that much more fun!"

"I guess," the blonde said setting a course for the river.

Avaryss grinned.

Despite their ally's hesitation, she could not help but feel they were on the right track.

"Should we contact the other teams?" Taya asked, "It is a big river, we could use the extra help?"

"Not this time," Avaryss said, "We say anything and we will have to fight our way through our own people while trying to conduct the search."

Nass nodded in agreement.

It was not worth it.

If they were wrong, they had only wasted their time, but if they were right?

Great prestige awaited them with success.

 _It is worth it._

Avaryss thought.

 _It was_ **more** _than worth it._

The air speeder turned, moving slowly and silently towards the river.

So far, no one had noticed what they were doing, and if anyone did, they probably thought that the girls were simply giving up.

 _So much the better_ , Avaryss thought.

 _Let everyone else waste their time in the jungle._

 _They had a_ _ **real**_ _lead to follow._

Avaryss fingered the hilt of her war blade.

It is thirsty, she thought.

It is time to drown it.

IOI

After the chaos of the jungle, the river seemed down right peaceful.

The girl's speeder skimmed above the water, just out of range of any leaping Hssiss.

Taya drove while Avaryss and Nass sat in the back; both girls' eyes were closed.

They were no longer hunting by sensors; they reached out with the dark side of the Force.

They would hunt their prey the old fashion way, like the Sith of old.

"You two may be wrong about this," Taya said morosely.

"We're not wrong," Nass and Avaryss said in perfect unison.

The act made the former Keera Lylos smile.

They were linked through the dark side now, functioning as a unit.

It was only a matter of time she was sure.

It might have been better had the three of them linked, but unfortunately, they still needed Taya in the here and now, flying the speeder.

They would simply have to make do with two.

"He is here," the two said in unison again, their voices a cold monotone.

"We will find him."

Melding through the Force was a new experience for Avaryss, she had heard of the technique of course, but never thought she would ever use it.

It offered great insight, but the individualistic ideals of the Sith did not contribute to its success.

I'm drowning she thought, Nass, who had initiated the meld, was slowly drowning her ally with her own dark impulses.

It was a strange experience.

It felt…well it felt like the Inquisitor's daughter was trying to fill Avaryss' mind with her own wants and desires. To leave her companion a willing vessel of her own will, a humble slave in her service.

Avaryss pushed back.

She would not give up what she was, not for anyone!

Stop resisting, Nass' thoughts filled her head, focus on my desires.

NO!

Avaryss growled.

We are allies, allies, that does not make me your servant!

I will never be a slave!

The meld may not have been as affective with her resistance, but Avaryss did not care.

She had her own desires, her own goals.

She would not give them up, she…

The speeder tilted. Somewhere in the distance Taya screamed.

Avaryss broke the connection.

They were under attack!

The largest Hssiss she had ever seen were leaping out of the water, drawn by the speeder, or the Force rich blood riding inside it.

They attacked like pack animals.

One hooked one of the engines in its powerful jaws.

The air speeder spun wildly.

Taya fought for control!

Avaryss and Nass drew their weapons. Both girls were still a little out of it from the meld.

It did not save their attackers.

Nass struck with her blade and lightning. Avaryss used her spells. She seized one of the dragons by the snout, the one trying to pull their speeder down.

"EAT THIS!" she snarled.

Her hands blazed with orange light.

The dragon's eyes widened.

She began draining it monster's life force.

Life drain was the second energy based spell she had mastered at Fury. The first step on the road to conjuring a death field, it was more subtle; less grand than death field, but fulfilled a similar purpose.

It did not leave her as blissed out as death field did, but that was not a bad thing.

She wanted to maintain control, not get lost in her powers again.

This spell would serve its purpose.

The drained husk of the dragon released the speeder and fell down into the water. The damage that Nass had done to another of the creatures caused it to fall as well, bleeding from multiple wounds, the blood made the remaining dragons frenzy, they began attacking each other.

The speeder pulled away, wobbling on a damaged engine.

It took all of Taya's skills to bring it down safely.

It made a hard landing on the shore of the river

All three acolytes were shook up from the landing, but okay.

Behind them the dragons continued to fight, tearing their wounded brethren apart.

The three leapt from the damaged transport.

They needed to put some distance between them and the dragons.

The fight would not last long.

When they had put a bit of distance between it and them; the three girls paused.

Avaryss cursed their luck.

What now!

She glanced over at Nass, the Inquisitor's daughter looked as angry as she felt.

The attack had come out of nowhere.

Avaryss glanced around.

Where was Taya?

She had some explaining to do.

She knew better than to take them so low to the river, they could have all been killed, they could have been…

Avaryss blinked.

Taya was nowhere to be found.

She reached out with the Force trying to sense her ally. She was near; she felt her presence but…

She looked at Nass, the other girl nodded grimly.

She felt it too, Avaryss realized.

They were not alone.

Avaryss raised a Force shield around herself, summoning her mental control, preparing for a fight.

Blade in hand, she began to reach out with the Force.

The attack came from the left.

Nass never knew what hit her.

One minute she was standing next to ally, the next she was flying back into the water! She was yanked up by an invisible hand of Force energy.

The brown haired girl had not even had time to cry out.

She hit the water and vanished, leaving only a few bubbles in her wake.

Avaryss backed up, surprised by both the fierceness of the attack, and how quick it had been.

She held her sword before her, reaching out with her senses. The dark side filling her up.

She nearly tripped over a body in the underbrush.

She looked down, the dim night time light revealing blonde hair and a red tunic.

Taya.

She leaned down reaching out with the Force.

She was surprised to find a heartbeat; the girl was unconscious but alive.

She sighed; surprisingly she could still feel relief.

Unbelievable she thought.

I actually care about Taya. I…

The water exploded again, a body flew out, and landed with a thump.

Nass.

Avaryss reached out with the Force, suspecting what she would find.

As with Taya, the Inquisitor's daughter was not dead, just unconscious.

The last remaining member of the trio shook her head.

Why not kill them, she wondered, Why not drown Nass?

Her firsts curled into fists.

She knew the answer; or rather she had her suspicion.

She glared at the water. It flowed so slowly here, she could see her reflection in the mirror like surface.

In the darkness, her eyes glowed a bright yellow.

She was alone, and in that moment she felt fear.

She was all alone with their quarry.

A hint of a smile came to her lips, fear turned to anger so easily, and anger turned to hate.

She smirked.

"You can come out now," she called out.

"I'm not going to fall for your tricks."

Bubbles emerged from the water; slowly they drew towards the shore.

She dropped into her Soresu guard. Her war blade was at the ready.

He emerged from the water, his chest bare, his green skin a mess of burns bruises and cuts.

Avaryss glared at him.

She had found the escaped prisoner.

Her eyes narrowed.

He would not escape again.

He emerged from the water and met her hard gaze with his even one; on his belt he wore a lightsaber.

Avaryss fought the urge to curse.

The alien could breathe under water!

It would have been nice to know that fact in the beginning.

"Your friends are hurt," he said in galactic basic, surprisingly good basic considering his alien tongue.

"They need medical attention."

Avaryss laughed at him.

"What makes you think I give a damn, Jedi filth?"

The alien blinked.

"I can feel your concern; they may die if you don't get them help."

"Maybe," she shrugged, "Maybe not."

She grinned wickedly.

"They don't matter; all that matters is you and me."

She laughed.

"Surrender and I might just let you keep your hands."

The tentacles on the back of the alien's head shuddered.

"I'm not going back," he said, "Not ever!"

He activated his lightsaber, a crimson blade emerged.

"Not ever," he repeated.

Avaryss' heart pounded; finally, she would face one of the bogey men of her childhood.

Her blood raced through her veins.

She…she had never felt so alive!

She could feel the light side emanating from her opponent; it was not as bright as she had thought it would be. It flickered in him like a dim lamp on a starless night.

No matter, she thought.

 _She did_ _ **not**_ _fear the light; it was a lie, an illusion, tales to frighten children._

Avaryss was no longer a child.

She was **death** itself.

And death was hungry, as hungry as her war blade was thirsty.

 _The feast was prepared._

She grinned.

 _Now…It is time to gorge._

She lunged forward.

The alien brought up his blade.

War blade and lightsaber clashed with a savage hiss.

The battle began.


	22. Enemies

**Chapter 22: Enemies**

Fast.

That was the only word to describe it. As Avaryss parried and struck back at the alien, she was amazed by the speed and precision of the Jedi's blows.

She was good with a blade, she knew it, felt it, but now she found herself struggling to keep up, managing to just stay one step ahead of her opponent. His skill was a blend of styles, Makashi, Ataru, and Shii-cho all rolled into one, a constantly shifting attack and defense.

It was amazing!

She grinned.

She should not have been enjoying this, but she was. Her heart pounding, adrenalin and the dark side fueling her every parry and blow…

If all Jedi fought like this…?

…what a true challenge facing them must be.

Even Master Adaz would have been impressed, or perhaps that was just her student's mind trying to overcompensate for her lack of skill. Perhaps her first master would have dealt quickly with this Jedi, and not been challenged.

Never the less, she welcomed this battle.

It was a true test of her skill, a most excellent trial.

She welcomed it with open arms.

As they danced around each other, the alien tried to keep her back to the shore line, no doubt wishing to leave the river as an option for escape if he needed it.

She enjoyed bursting that particular bubble.

She kept leaping in front of him, blocking his path back to the water; even going so far as to flip over his head at one point, blocking his only avenue of escape.

She gave him an evil smile.

"Oh no you don't," she said in a bullying sing-song taunt, "No more moonlight swims for you, little Jedi."

Through the Force, she could sense his frustration, it surprised her truth be told. After everything she had read, she thought the Jedi suppressed all emotion that they were like droids with Force powers. Yet, now she was sensing fear, desperation, and anxiety.

It was not what she had expected, not from a champion of the light side.

Perhaps he is not fully trained.

The realization, it surprised her. She had no experience with his species, wasn't really sure what to look for, but given his slender build, no real lines on his face. It was possible that this Jedi may still have been in his adolescence, perhaps even as young as she.

That would make him…what was the word for a Jedi in training? She had read it in Lord Hecaetus' book, pada…pawa…something or other, it was a bit fuzzy.

No matter, it did not matter what he called himself, he was her's.

It was all that mattered now.

He is skilled, but his refusal to use his emotions to help him win this fight was a mistake. He had fear, why not use it? She was using her own anxieties at that very moment to power her own anger, giving her the edge she needed to stay in this fight.

 _To go into a battle and not use_ _ **every**_ _weapon available to you was foolish, it was inviting defeat._

 _So much the better for me_.

If the creature would not fight with all his heart, then…he had already lost.

The dark was nothing to be afraid of; it was something to be embraced proudly, and without hesitation.

Only then could a person unlock his or her true potential.

Only then…could they truly be free.

The alien pushed her back, their blades disengaged; both were breathing hard, the fire of their first exchange leaving both of them winded.

Avaryss grinned.

She was ready for another pass.

"I'm impressed," she said grinning.

The Jedi backed up, she could almost hear his mind working, no doubt trying to think of some trick to escape, someway that he might worm his way out of this.

She would not give him that chance.

The alien raised his hand, she felt him starting to gather his power. She poured her emotions into her own shield, readying it for whatever trick the Jedi might attempt.

"You need to get help," he said waving his hand before her, "Your speeder crashed, your friends are hurt. You must head back to the academy."

Avaryss blinked, her blade lowering slightly.

"I'm not the one you are looking for," the alien said.

She lowered her blade completely.

"You are not the one I'm looking for," she said in a dreamy, far-away voice, "I must get help for my friends."

The alien grinned and started to turn away.

She leapt forward, her blade raised for a lethal strike.

The Jedi only just got his lightsaber up to block.

She grinned into those huge dark eyes of his.

"Fooled you," she purred, barely stifling a giggle.

He snarled with frustration and attacked her again.

How cute, she thought to herself, he actually tried to persuade her, to get inside her head.

Learning to defend herself from such attacks was one of the first lessons she had learned as a hopeful. The shame of her first game of _obey me_ , remained with her to this day.

This Jedi is no better than that fool, Bryden, she thought, struggling to remember the late squad leader's name, and if he kept this up, he would be just as dead as that fool was.

She fell back, using her defense to continue wearing him down.

 _Get angry, Jedi,_ she thought, _the more out of control you are, the more your connection to the light sputters._

A warm tingle ran down her spine.

Each exchange between them brought him closer to making a mistake and her closer to victory.

She just had to hold the line. He would get tired, and when he did…he was hers.

She could feel it.

His dark eyes were bright with pain; he had to know it was no use.

Yet, still he fought on.

It was _commendable,_ _ **foolish**_ _,_ but _commendable._

"Why couldn't you have just let those creatures in the water finish you?" he whined, "Why did you have to come here?"

"To spite you, Jedi," she replied, "That and your head is worth much to me and mine. I bring you back, and I get a one way ticket to Korriban."

She grinned triumphantly.

"Your fall is the next step in my ascension to the Sith."

He shook his head; through the Force he radiated disgust.

"Do you even know what that means?" he asked, "Do you really know what it means to be a Sith?"

"Power and glory," she replied, "To take my place among the future rulers of the galaxy."

He laughed at that.

"How little you understand," he said.

She glared at him, his reaction annoying her.

How dare he speak about things that he did not understand?

"You know nothing of the dark side," she spat.

He gave her a tired look.

"I know it **will** fail you. I know you will spend your life always looking over your shoulder. I know you will be consumed by watching for betrayal and trying to betray others."

The alien shook his head.

"Your overseer offered me power too, she offered me the same lies that you believe are truth."

The alien winced.

"When I resisted, they _hurt_ me. They hurt me badly, but still I did not break.

"I will never fall to the dark side. I will never be one of you."

Avaryss growled.

"Then you are a fool! The peace won't last forever, and when it ends, it will be the Sith that end up on top, and the Jedi will be nothing but sad memory."

Again she attacked, this time it was the Jedi who fought back, he fought back harder than she thought possible, his defense seeming to be revitalized by his little speech to her.

She barely held him back.

The light around him seemed to grow brighter.

 _It can't be,_ she thought.

 _The dark side **is** stronger!_

Their blades locked, their faces bathed in ruby light as the struggled against each other.

He pushed her blade back, driving it closer and closer to her shoulder.

She struggled to push him back.

Those unfamiliar eyes of his radiated with emotion. She felt pain and anger both.

"It is over," he said, "Just let me go."

"I don't want to destroy you."

She grunted, trying to push him away.

He was stronger than her, physically anyway.

Her eyes narrowed.

She would not be denied.

She used the Force to separate them, he did not fly back as she hoped, but turned it into a backward roll, springing back to his feet with ease. He once again faced her, his saber at the ready.

For the first time, she felt a sense of uncertainty; maybe she could _not_ do this? Maybe the boy's training exceeded her own?

"We don't have to do this," he told her, "You don't have to die here. If we worked together, we could both leave this place. I…I can feel the conflict in you, the Sith Masters have not corrupted you completely, not yet."

He gave her a sheepish smile.

"If I had the help of a student, escape would be easy. We could get off this horrible planet."

Her eyes narrowed; did he honestly think this would work?!

"I would spend the rest of my life in a Republic Prison, being tortured for information by your corrupted Senators."

"The Jedi would not allow that," he said quickly, "The masters would show mercy. You are strong in the Force. they would protect you, guide you, give you a chance to find redemption. They could help you find your way into the light. You would not have to spend your days fearing the plots of others."

She shook her head.

No, she thought.

Lies!

The creature was lying to her!

Part of her however, the part that was still that farm girl from Oridanna stirred.

It was _intrigued_ by the offer.

"How can becoming what you seek to destroy aid you in the end, Blossom?"

Her father's voice haunted her, just as it haunted her during her final trial on Fury 9.

"Maybe I was wrong about the Jedi," her father's shade seemed to say.

"Maybe they could help you find the justice you seek?"

She shook her head; she could not believe she was even considering this?

 _This may be your chance, Blossom._

 _This may be your **final** chance._

She looked at the Jedi, his eyes were guileless; perhaps this offer was genuine.

Perhaps she could escape, find a way to hurt Darth Feer from the ranks of the Jedi, perhaps she…

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

 _ **NO!**_

 _ **NEVER!**_

She glared at the Jedi!

 _ **DECEIVER!**_

She attacked again, her anger at herself fueling her power, giving her new strength.

She would not let this alien distract her again.

She needed to reclaim the advantage.

Again their blades separated, there would be no more offers, no more deals.

She would end this.

They circled each other again; the only saving grace this time was that they were too far back from the water for the Jedi to make the jump to it. If he tried, she would be on him.

Go ahead, she nearly shouted, try to escape. I will fry you with lightning as you flee!

She was so deep in the dark side now; it gave her focus, confidence.

"I can certainly see why the overseer was interested in you," she said, "Your Jedi Master must have been so proud."

The alien spat, she felt a fresh wave of disgust radiate off him.

 _Interesting,_ she thought…

 _…Such hostility towards his master, how very interesting._

"I **warned** him," He growled, "I told him we should not go anywhere near this hateful Empire. Yet, he did not listen! All he saw was our goal.

The Jedi shook his head.

"Our _precious_ goal."

"And what might that be," she asked.

He sneered at her.

"You think you are so strong, but your Empire is already doomed. The games the dark lords' play have already sealed your fate. It doesn't take much to make the Sith fight each other."

Avaryss did not acknowledge that, but considering what she had seen with this hunt, she knew he was right.

The competition that drove them to greatness was a doubled edged sword.

It could just as easily kill its wielder.

"We remember what happened on Coruscant, Sith," the alien growled, "We all lost friends during your cowardly sneak attack. We will not let that happen again, enough of us survived that horror; we won't give you the chance to pull such a stunt again."

"You can't stop it," Avaryss said smiling, _what was this now?_

 _Had something changed in the Jedi Order?_

"The first steps have already been taken, Sith. Your masters' rivalries will be their undoing. Under the Master's guidance, we will bring the whole sorry mess down around your ears!"

 _Keep him talking,_ she thought to herself, _whatever this was, it was important._

 _Did the Overseer know about this? Had the Jedi confessed this to her?_

 _She needed to know more._

 _The entire Empire might be in danger._

 _The lords…they **needed** to be told!_

"Careful, Jedi," she taunted, "That sounds an awful lot like you plan to take revenge upon us."

She gave him a sly grin.

"Revenge is a path to the dark side, or so I have heard."

"This is not revenge," he spat, "This is justice! You will pay for what you did to the temple, all the Jedi your foul kind murdered, the younglings who died, my friends…"

The alien hissed.

"You will pay."

"Yes," Avaryss crowed, "Let your emotions go! Strike me down if you can! You finally are starting to see the truth. Embrace it, and you will take your rightful place among us."

"Never!"

"It is unavoidable."

"Our master will stop you; he will bring your whole cursed Empire down!"

"Who is he?"

The Jedi had said enough.

He attacked.

The darkness roared in Avaryss' ears.

The Jedi had finally let go.

She almost laughed.

They were playing a new game now.

They were playing _**her**_ game.

It was one she intended to win.

He might know the light, but to the dark, he was a novice.

She used that to her advantage.

She reached out with her own darkness, tore away his Force shield, the light no longer fed it

That is when the fun really began.

She stopped his blade with the Force.

She flung him back again, this time he did not counter, he was out of control…easy prey.

She indulged herself.

She started drawing on his despair, his anger, his hate.

It fueled her.

She raised him up and slammed him into the trees behind them, hard. He bounced back and forth, bones breaking with each hit.

She reveled in each blow.

As he struck the ground, she sent lightning arcing towards him. He tried to raise the blade, to block her attack.

He was not entirely successful; the blast burned his green flesh.

 _Now,_ the dark voice within her said.

 _Attack now!_

 _Carry the day!_

She laughed as she leapt forward.

Their blades flashed as she drove him back. He tried to defend himself, use the Force to push her back, but now he was striking with only dark side energy, energy that her body drank up, serving only to increase her power.

She felt giddy, invincible, and immortal.

She almost cried.

Was this how Darth Hecaetus felt when he corrupted a Jedi student?

If so, no wonder they called him the corrupter. This feeling was intoxicating.

She never wanted it to end.

I want more!

I will corrupt them all!

Her quarry's attacks grew more desperate, no longer was he fighting to kill, he was fighting to escape, but there was no escape.

No one escaped the dark side!

She shoved him back again; he struck a tree so hard she heard something snap within him, blood spurted from his mouth.

She grinned triumphantly.

"I will find them," she promised him, "I will find these friends of yours. These fools who dare to attack our Empire, who try to manipulate us. Your master and his allies will die, and your fellow apprentices will replenish our ranks. Your precious plan will be a complete and utter failure! I swear on our Emperor's name, you will fail!"

She leapt forward; he only just escaped the killing blow. He staggered back trying to keep his blade up.

Her blood raced her heart pounded.

She felt invincible!

She felt like she could take on the whole dark council!

" **Your friends will fall,"** she shouted, _**"All will bow to Darth Avaryss!"**_

She gave him one final push.

He struck the ground hard, lay there gasping for breath.

She stood over him, a look of disdain on her face.

 _Pathetic,_ she thought, _pathetic and weak._

It was all she could do to stay her hand.

He is worth more alive, the dark voice within purred, remember that.

She did.

She would not waste this opportunity.

"You are going back, now," she said coldly, "Our masters are expecting you."

The Jedi did not give up; he somehow struggled to his feet, blood running from his mouth.

"I…I won't…won't go back."

He lit the lightsaber in his hand, he could barely stand, but he remained defiant.

She rolled her eyes.

 _He must **really** like pain._

She dropped into her fighting stance again.

He lunged forward. She parried his blow, and then struck back, he brought up his blade and…

She gasped.

The alien turned off the lightsaber, her blade passed cleanly where it had once been. She could not stop it; she had been committed to the attack.

The blade bit deep into his shoulder, carving deep into his body.

A small cry escaped his lips.

Avaryss was in shock!

What…what had happened?!

She stared at the Jedi in disbelief.

"What have you done?" she demanded.

" _ **What have you done?!"**_

He was smiling at her, looking up through bloody lips as he sank to his knees, his life fading quickly.

"I've escaped," he said, "Thank…thank you Sith."

He fell to his side; she stood there, shocked, unable to move.

This…this was not how it was supposed to be.

She was to bring him back alive!

He laughed as he lay there, dying, slipping from the Empire's grasp.

"There… there is…is no…death," he murmured.

"There…there is…is…the For...For…."

All light faded from his eyes, his body slumped back.

She felt him go, felt him die.

He…he died at peace, unafraid and without anger.

Avaryss looked around, the entire jungle seemed to be holding its breath…waiting.

The dark side came to her then, strong and rolling like a tidal wave.

She let it out in one all-powerful shriek!

She screamed in frustration.

She screamed and screamed.

 _ **COWARD!**_

 _ **FILTH!**_

 _ **JEDI!**_

The trees whipped around her, a storm of pure rage set fire to the underbrush, it might have exploded in to a true inferno if the ground here was not so damp.

She sank to her knees by her dead quarry. She should have felt elated, instead she felt cheated, betrayed…

…Both by this alien and her own heart.

Again she had been tempted; she had turned her back, but…

The fact that it was still possible infuriated her!

" **YOU'RE DEAD!"** she howled, **"DEAD! GONE!"**

" **WHY DO YOU KEEP TORMENTING ME?!"**

Her head sank to the ground.

"Damn you, Dad," she murmured.

"Damn you."

IOI

She was not sure how long she lay there in the muck. It could have been minutes, or an eternity.

She heard footsteps in the underbrush.

She forced herself to stand, with an angry snarl she turned, ready to deal with any threat.

"Avy?"

Avaryss blinked.

Taya stood there, looking both wobbly and glassy eyed.

Avaryss went to check on her, she felt the large bump on the back of the other girl's head. She was likely concussed. She probably needed a medical droid, Nass to…probably.

"What…what happened?" Taya asked her.

Avaryss smiled coldly.

"We need to get Nass," she told her ally, "She needs medical attention; you both do."

"Really," the blonde said wobbling on her feet. Avaryss had to catch her, help her; make sure she did not take a nose dive into the mud.

Taya gave her pained look.

"I feel terrible," she murmured.

Avaryss laughed.

"You will feel better," she said pointing, "Look down there."

The girl did. She saw the alien's body. Her eyes widened.

"What is that?" she said.

"A one way ticket to Korriban, my friend," Avaryss purred.

Taya grinned, she could barely stand, but she recognized what her ally was saying.

"You did it," she said.

"No," Avaryss replied, "We did it. The three of us did it."

She laughed.

"We won, Taya."

"We won."

.


	23. The Hero

**Chapter 23: The Hero**

 _All will bow to Darth Avaryss._

The words had slipped out in a moment of high emotion. Avaryss was not entirely sure what had prompted her to say them, but never the less they had been said.

 _ **Darth Avaryss**_ , she thought shaking her head.

She was afraid that she had gotten a little ahead of herself.

The trio had returned to a hero's welcome, from the Overseer and the staff at least, if not their fellow students. After their wounds had been tended to the ladies were shown to provide rooms so that they could rest and recover from the previous night's revels. Tonight they would dine with the Overseer, and receive both her thanks, and whatever other prizes she could offer them.

Such things intrigued Avaryss, as they no doubt did Nass and Taya.

The rewards of success are ours, Avaryss knew, and they could be quite pleasant, still…considering herself a Darth already, that was not a reward she could claim, not yet.

Becoming a Darth was no simple reward, it was a commitment; it was something gained after years of Leal service to the Empire.

It was no simple prize.

A Darth was death itself, or so an old Sith saying went. A Darth stood above all other Sith Lords, and were the only ones eligible to take a seat on the Dark Council. Most of the Darths that currently served the Empire were former apprentices of Dark Council members, their most trusted agents.

The thought was enough to give her pause.

The Sith way stated that it was the duty of every apprentice to overthrow their master when they were both strong enough, and the time was right. So, to her, it seemed odd that members of the council elevated their agents so high. By naming an apprentice Darth, they were asking to be challenged; to be overthrown…

It was just another example of the often confusing path of Sith training.

 _Was it confusing though,_ the dark voice said _, a Darth is death itself, though it is true that elevating a servant so invites challenge, but at the same time, if the Master is as strong as he believes, the apprentice would be wise not to challenge him, because if he or she does, they die, and all their work has been for naught. They will have wasted all their time and effort on fool's gamble._

She smiled to herself.

Was **that** the answer then, to wield such power was to invite challenge, but holding off such a challenge was part of wielding it, only the strong survive, and that was why the Empire had endured for so long, that and the wisdom and knowledge of the Emperor.

That is the level I must reach, she realized, I must become so powerful that even my most trusted underling must be intimidated.

If I wish to be made a Darth, then I must prove to them that I can be that, that true symbol of darkness. They must see me as an equal.

That would not be an easy challenge.

Any lord could make a lord, she had heard, but only a Darth could name you a Darth, and so far, she had yet to meet any, much less do anything to impress one.

 _Then you will have to get started then, won't you_ , the dark voice within said _, killing that alien was a start, but that is all it was, a start._

You will need _more_ , something **bigger.**

She nodded thoughtfully, that she did.

I have time, she realized, for now, she intended to live in the moment.

For now, she intended to enjoy her victory.

She was currently in a private suite within the central tower of the academy. It was a place typically reserved for Sith Lords and visiting Moffs. After months of sweltering heat and biting insects the cool temperature controlled room seemed strange to the young acolyte. Wonderful, yes, but it was still strange.

She had gotten used to hardship, had learned to endure, but now, enduring was no longer necessary.

She was a _hero._

Most people would advise her to simply lay back, and enjoy it.

She was currently soaking herself in a tub of hot steaming water. It was a tub so large that it could have fit three Gamorrean comfortably. She sank up to her nose and let the warmth soak into her skin, into her bones.

She had never felt anything so relaxing.

For destroying that Nautolan Padawan, Overseer Alaria had offered, Avaryss and her two allies, any pleasure that the tower offered, and considering the Zabrak's appetites, those pleasures were many.

 _Lucky us,_ Avaryss thought _, and lucky for the overseer, we cleaned up her mess. She_ _doubted that the Zabrak would have wanted to explain to whoever had captured the alien that he had escaped on her watch._

Such a failure would not have been overlooked.

Offering a few days of pleasure to the ones that had stopped him, was the least the woman could do.

She rose from beneath the water, sighing contentedly. She had almost forgotten how it felt to be clean. She had missed it. Hot water had never been a problem at Fury 9, with so much geo-thermal heat available, it was easy to always have a hot bath, however those baths almost always stank of sulfur, or other volcanic gases, that and the water was always very hard. You could scour your skin clean from just the water alone.

In _the Butcher's Block_ , only sonic showers were available. Standing water in the jungle was the perfect breeding grown for bacteria and other microbial nightmares. In the interest of health, sonics only were permitted for bathing.

Only inside the confines of the central tower could someone feel safe enough to take a good long bath, the kind of bath that made a person feel like a sentient being again, whose perfumed waters did as much for the soul as it did for the body.

I needed this, Avaryss thought, I **deserved** this.

It would have been better had she been able to bring the alien back alive, but…

Her brow furrowed, the final moments of the duel came back to her, the Jedi's suicide.

 _You helped me escape_ , he had said, _thanks Sith._

The memory angered her. She brought her hand down hard, the resulting splash sent water up like a geyser, it would have fallen back into the pool, but she did not let it. She reached out with the Force and held those droplets there, she watched as they floated before her, sparkling like precious gems in the light.

It was the first time she had attempted anything like this. The Force was everywhere, she knew that, it both surrounded and bound the galaxy together. Yet, manipulation of something so small was difficult; it took precision, precision and concentration.

She smiled, and let the drops fall back into the bath vanishing into the steaming surface.

I'm growing _**stronger,**_ she realized. Each lesson she learned. Each trial she survived brought her closer to her final goal. Becoming Sith had all but consumed her. The path had almost eclipsed her original final goal.

The death of Darth Feer, justice for her family, those goals were still important, but…she was quickly coming to realize that power was its own reward. Once she had achieved satisfaction, once her family was avenged, she would need a new outlet, a new mission.

Why should it not be the gathering of _greater_ power?

 _Through strength, we gain power._

 _Through power, we gain victory._

 _Through victory, our chains are broken._

 _The Force shall set us free!_

She knew the truth in those words now, accepted them.

Of course, she had not truly attained victory with the Padawan, had she? He turned off his blade, _accepted_ death before recapture. It may have worked out in her favor, but…

 _But_ _ **nothing**_ _,_ the dark voice said, _the creature will_ _ **not**_ _threaten the Empire again._

It would have been more prestigious to bring him back alive, but in death he is still your trophy.

…no one held that against her, the fact that she had killed him, it was better that he was dead, then being allowed to escape off world.

Now at least, his talents were denied everyone, Jedi and Sith both.

It was an acceptable outcome for the Empire…

…An outcome that Avaryss had been happy to deliver.

She leaned her head back on the edge of the tub, thinking of the final few minutes of her duel with the Jedi student. Wondering what she could have done differently. She could have rendered him unconscious she supposed, or cast a spell that would have left him sobbing on the ground in terror, unable to move, but she had been too busy reveling in her power to think of that. She had got distracted and had paid the price, a small price perhaps, but a price none the less. She still cursed herself for not bringing him back alive. In hind sight, she realized that when the battle had turned her way, she should have grabbed the alien in a Force choke, rendered him unconscious before he could carry out his mad plan.

That was how things should have gone, she recognized, had she taken him alive, she would likely be on a transport right now on her way to the High Academy on Korriban.

Instead she was still here, at least for the moment.

Hopefully Alaria finally recognized her skill and ability.

She was so close to Korriban, now, she could feel it.

All that remained was the overseer's permission.

Surely, her success in the jungle was enough to warrant that.

It would be good to get away, she thought, safer too.

She frowned.

Given the nature of her fellow acolytes, she did not think it healthy to remain here much longer.

She had a feeling that at least some of them would hold a grudge.

Alaria's open challenge had inspired so many

It was unlikely that all would be very accepting of the final result.

Last night, the open challenge, it had seen _Butcher's Clearing_ live up its name. Thirty eight acolytes had perished during last night's hunt, some killed by the wildlife, others by… _random accidents_.

No doubt many of the survivors would be envious of Avaryss and her allies; they had seized the prize that so many had wanted. Now…here they were.

A hero's status would protect them for a while, but it would be better that the trio made it off this world soon enough. As time passed, the gratitude of the overseer would fade, plus there was the small matter of the ambush, the one using the shadow wasp nest.

They still had no idea who had been behind that little plot.

If someone with power did wish any of them harm, it may be smart to simply block the girls' journey to Korriban. This victory would make them stand out; isolate them from the other students. No doubt even now plots of revenge were being planned in the Butcher's Block. Who knew how many jealous acolytes now wanted Avaryss and her allies dead.

We need to be more careful than ever, she realized, we must assume that we are being plotted against, especially when the stakes are so high.

Despite the heat, the thought made her shiver.

 _So much for basking in the simple pleasures of life,_ she thought.

No longer enjoying the heat of the water, Avaryss stood and stepped out of the tub, seeking a towel and then a robe.

As she ran her fingers through her wet hair she realized that she would need to speak with Nass and Taya.

They had plans of their own to make.

Given what had happened, Nass had been surprised that Avaryss had shared her prize with them. Both she and Taya had been defeated; after all, the kill had been Avaryss' and Avaryss' alone.

The inquisitor's daughter had not understood.

"Why share such a prize when you don't have to?" she had asked while they had been sitting in medical.

"Why not simply keep it for yourself?"

Avaryss had smiled at that.

"I considered it," she said, "Make no mistake there. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was for the best that I share this victory."

She smirked at her two allies.

"You are both second level acolytes, you both _already_ attend Korriban Academy. If I took the prize myself, I would arrive alone on Korriban. You would join me soon enough, I'm sure, but when you did, you would arrive resentful, angry that I had not shared the prize, especially in light of our alliance. I would have traded two allies for two potential rivals, rivals with a vested interest in bringing me down."

She shook her head.

"This way, I preserver our alliance, and have allies that will have my back when I reach the high academy. By helping you, I help myself."

Nass looked at Taya, the other girl shrugged.

She turned to Avaryss and nodded.

"Well played, Farm Girl," she said.

"Well played, indeed."

"Congratulations Avy," Taya added.

"That was very Sith of you."

Avaryss chuckled.

"Thanks Tay," she said.

"That means much coming from you."

And so, the trio remained intact, at least for now.

Avaryss had smiled.

Eventually it would break, she knew, but not yet.

Not yet.

She padded out of the bath, and into the main room of the suite. She shook her head.

This room was larger than the farm house where she grew up, larger and far more open. One wall was entirely a window, as she looked down she could see the mist covered sweltering jungle. Butcher's Clearing was beginning another harsh and vicious day.

She was grateful to stand above it, at least, for now.

She glanced around looking for her clothes, one of the servants must have come and taken them while had been bathing, not that she blamed them. They were so dirty and muck incrusted, the only use for them now would be to fuel an incinerator.

Her war blade lay on a table beside the bed; she picked it up and drew it from its sheath.

She felt a surge of gratitude for Master Adaz. His gift had served her well here, it was truly a dominating weapon, a weapon worthy of a Sith, at least until she gained her first lightsaber anyway.

She held it up to light, some of the alien's blood still colored it; that would not do.

She returned to the bathroom, seeking a cloth to wipe the filth away.

The Jedi had died a coward; she would not have a coward's blood stain her weapon.

As she sat cleaning and polishing her blade, she heard the door chime.

Avaryss' brow furrowed.

The staff had been informed that they were not to be disturbed, the day was theirs to rest or do whatever they wished.

She triggered the door com with the Force.

"Yes?"

"Avy, it is Taya."

The young acolyte sighed.

Of course, she thought.

She triggered the lock with the Force.

"Enter."

The door slid open, admitting her blonde haired ally, also clad in a simple bath robe and slippers.

The blonde was grinning from ear to ear as she glanced around the suite.

"This is more like it, isn't it," she said.

"This is what a true Sith deserves."

Avaryss shrugged.

"We are not Sith, yet," she reminded her, but then she smiled.

"Still, I cannot deny that I needed this."

Taya giggled.

"You should get used to this," she said.

"If some Darth does not take notice of you soon, he is blind."

She motioned around the room.

"As an apprentice to a Darth, this may be your life one day."

Avaryss nodded, it was possible she supposed.

 _Apprenticed to a Darth, it would make her journey that much easier._

The blond girl sat down beside her. Normally, Avaryss would not let another acolyte get so close. Still there was little danger, she was armed, Taya was not, and besides.

Unlike Nass, Taya did not radiate that sense of darkness that Avaryss had considered the norm among Sith. She was too friendly by far.

If it was an act it was damn good one.

That did not mean that she would drop her guard, she had learned that lesson the hard way.

Never be taken by surprise, beware your master, your apprentice, and your fellows, those were the keys to a long life within the Sith Order.

Avaryss intended for her life to be quite long indeed.

She gave her ally a curious look.

"Will Nass be joining us? We have things to discuss?"

Taya giggled.

"I'm afraid our friend is a little occupied."

Avaryss' brow furrowed.

"Occupied, how?"

Taya giggled again.

"I just came from visiting her; she had two guests arriving, and did not wish to chat."

"Guests?"

"Two of the overseer's male pleasure slaves, two very well… _endowed_ pleasure slaves."

The blonde blushed.

"I'm afraid our friend will be busy for quite some time."

"Oh," Avaryss said, her blue eyes widening.

"Oh."

Taya smirked.

"If nothing else, Nass will be more relaxed when we have dinner with the Overseer, she will probably be walking a little funny too."

Avaryss could not help it, she giggled as well.

So much for making plans for tonight.

Nass was definitely preoccupied.

They should all be so lucky.

"I'm surprised you are not enjoying similar revels Taya?" she said.

The blond girl's blush darkened.

"I had one of the slaves give me a full massage, which was nice, I use to get them on Dromund Kaas; wealth does have its advantages. Still…"

Taya's eyes turned thoughtful.

"It would be nice to have handsome man come to me, say I was the most beautiful girl in the galaxy, and show me just how much he enjoyed my company.

The blond shook her head.

"It would not have been real though, fun, but not real."

Avaryss gave her friend a curious look.

"Do you have someone waiting back on Dromund Kaas?"

"A few that have peeked my interests. I'm prepared to wait."

She gave her ally a sly grin.

"What about you Avy?" she asked, "You going to partake of the Overseer's…generosity?"

Avaryss blushed.

"How do you know I haven't?"

"The bed is still made; you might be hiding someone in the bathroom though."

Avaryss chuckled.

"No," she finally admitted, "I have no interest in pleasure slaves, no matter how… _talented_ they are."

She did not mention to Taya that she had never been with anyone before; she was not quite ready to share that secret just yet.

It was none of her concern really.

She had yet to share that part of herself with anyone. Ro Wilkes had come the closest she supposed but she had never submitted.

Now, she was glad she hadn't the traitor, or at least the son of a traitor.

Some might have called her foolish, or a prude, but she had no desire for her first time to be with a slave, a slave who was doing what he was doing out of a sense of duty, or out of fear of his master's whip.

No.

She wanted her first time to be special.

She could wait.

The two girls' spent the afternoon talking, going over what they would say at dinner that evening. Taya also continued Avaryss' voice lessons. She wanted to put her best foot forward when they met with Alaria later tonight.

Taya ordered lunch, and spent most of educating her friend in dinner etiquette. What to eat with what, how to behave when sitting down, that and other such nonsense.

As they worked, Avaryss was shocked to discover that things had changed between her and her ally. Once she had considered Taya a commodity to be cashed in when needed, now, she found that that idea no longer had any appeal.

In spite of Avaryss' best efforts, the other girl had become her friend.

What a foolish decision this was.

"We should not do this," she said with a sad sigh."

"Do what," Taya asked.

"This," Avaryss said gesturing between them, "You have been a good ally, Taya, but I fear this is a mistake."

"What sort of mistake?" the other girl asked.

Avaryss sighed.

"Being friends," she finally admitted.

Taya smiled warmly.

"You think of me as a friend?"

"I do, I know it is pathetic and stupid, and against everything we have been taught, but yes…"

The blonde girl beamed.

"I consider you a friend too, Avy."

Avaryss glared at her.

"Friendship is a chain, remember, it can drag you down and destroy you."

"You are starting to sound like Nass, now."

"I suppose I am," she agreed, "That does not make her wrong."

Taya sighed, idly picking at her empty plate with her fork.

"I will give you that," she admitted, "Friendship is a chain, but not all chains imprison, some have other uses."

"Such as?"

"They can be decorative for one," Taya said, "They can show off your sense of taste, intimidate an enemy with your wealth, even help draw the eye of a potential mate."

The blonde smiled.

"I have your back, you know," she promised, "I will do my best to avoid getting in your way during training, provided you do the same."

Avaryss nodded.

She could do that.

On Korriban their trials may eventually interlink, she hoped that would not happen. She no longer had any desire to see Taya harmed. Plus the girl came from a wealthy family with connections, connections that Avaryss might want to exploit one day.

"We must keep this between ourselves for now," Avaryss advised, "If the masters found out, they might pit us against each other, put us in a position where we would have to fight."

The other girl nodded.

"As far as everyone else knows, we are simply allies, allies that tolerate each other out of a sense of mutual benefit; we will both make noise to such effect."

"Agreed," Avaryss said with a nod, "there is nothing here but a business relationship."

The other girl grinned.

"Yes," she said, "And business is booming."

They continued their voice lessons and Avaryss shared a few interesting spells she had learned from Phylon, she was not sure if they were any use to Taya, but they were no threat to Avaryss.

Eventually the other girl left to get some sleep, the chaos of the night before finally catching up with her.

Avaryss also retired, the bed was large enough for four people, and the sheets were the softest she had ever felt. It felt marvelous on her bare skin. She snuggled beneath the sheets, and did not move for the rest of the day.

She drifted off quickly, falling into dreamless sleep. No Padawan appeared to torture her, no family appeared to try and make her second guess her choices.

Once again night approached.

Avaryss was woken only once by a call from the Overseer's assistant, dinner would be served in an hour.

All three girls were expected to attend.

She had washed again and combed her hair. She wound it up into a tight braid, and pinned it back. It was a hair style that she had always worn at official functions on Oridanna, not that there had been many of those mind you.

She wanted to look her best.

She wanted to impress the head of the academy. Overseer Alaria held her future in her hands.

She needed to make the best impression.

"Twenty minutes before she had to leave, a servant dropped off a new training uniform for her. She thanked him and retreated back into her room to dress.

She was pleasantly surprised by what she found when she looked at what had been brought.

The leggings and boots were standard academy issue; no surprise there, what was a surprise was the tunic. It was not the blue tunic of a first level, apparently she had moved beyond that.

She grinned triumphantly.

She picked up the red tunic and slipped it on quickly. She hurried to the rooms mirror to see how she looked.

No longer was she beneath her allies, no long was she the token first level in their little group.

She could stand proudly beside her two allies. As a second level student, her passage to Korriban was all but assured!

Her hard work and patience had paid off!

She found herself excited for the coming dinner, who knew what else the overseer had in store for them.

If nothing else came out of this, one thing was certain.

Her life was about to change.

Get ready Korriban, she thought.

Here I come.


	24. Alaria

**Chapter 24: Alaria**

"The boy was useful, I cannot deny that, but still…better that he die here than escape to bedevil the Sith Order."

Avaryss paused, her wine glass a mere breath from her mouth. She needed to say something she knew, something to justify what had happened. Despite the overseer's words to the contrary, it was clear that Alaria was not pleased with the alien Jedi's death.

She needed to say something, to smooth over any ruffled feathered.

"He gave me little choice I'm afraid, Overseer," she admitted, "He fought to the bitter end; clearly he felt death was preferable to aiding us."

The Zabrak nodded.

"I do not fault your actions, Acolyte; you did what was expected of you. Still, as I said, the boy was useful, during his interrogations he showed an aptitude for battle meditation, something that our armies could have used; it would have been a boon to both this academy and to me."

Avaryss nodded, and took a sip of her drink, sweet and delicious.

Yet it could do little to still the rancor in the Overseer's voice.

Avaryss had taken something from her, and the Zabrak was _**not**_ pleased.

And **that** was the real issue here, Avaryss realized, and likely the only reason that Nautolan would have been kept alive and brought to a Sith Academy in the first place. Battle meditation was a useful gift; it could even change the course of a war if used correctly.

Clearly, Overseer Alaria had had great plans for the boy, plans that had been dashed by both his escape, and finally his death.

She could have taken out her frustration on Avaryss and her companions; all three realized that, this hero's feast could turn into something quite different if Alaria chose to be offended by what she had lost.

Fortunately, for all three of three of the young Acolytes, that did not seem to be the case.

Alaria sighed and shook her head.

"Oh well," she said with a dismissive wave of a hand, "At least his talents are lost to the Jedi as well, some victory is better than none."

Avaryss nodded, along with her allies.

They were safe for the moment, it appeared.

It did not look like their host was holding a grudge.

The overseer smiled at them.

"More wine, youngsters?"

Their dinner with Overseer Alaria had been going on for almost an hour now. Up to this point, most of the Overseer's questions had been directed at Nass and Taya. Given their connections to Dromund Kaas, not to mention their previously senior status, it was to them that the Zabrak looked for information.

Avaryss held her tongue. She listened politely and only spoke when spoken to. Her understanding and views of Dromund Kaas, and what was popular there, had come from the perspective of her two allies. She dared not question, not wishing to get drawn into something she knew little or nothing about. For a time, she felt lost, drifting along with the conversation, waiting for the chance to step in, hopefully when the topic finally turned to something she could answer honestly about.

She had been grateful when the small talk ended, when the conversation finally turned to the matter of the hunt, and the prey that she had slain.

The change of topic was a welcome one, for Avaryss; here at least she could speak plainly. Here at least, with this topic, did she finally have a chance to shine.

 _Finally, she thought, only now does Zabrak start letting down her guard,_ only _now she goes beyond drivel and pleasantries and start discussing what truly matters._

 _She could feel the Overseer's anger at the whole mess, none of that rage was directed at them thankfully; still it was still there, burning like a beacon._

 _Such anger was not uncommon in a Sith, and given Alaria's role here, and what had been lost, it was expected._

Part of her had always wondered if the Zabrak's…niceness was an act, her holo droids revealed nothing when you interacted with them in the Butcher's Block, there was no emotions to sense, the woman was too far away. Up close, sharing the same room with her, it was different. Now Avaryss understood why Alaria chose to use droids rather than interact with the students herself.

It was not simply about staying out of the heat, or choosing to remain aloof from her students, no it was something else, something more… _tangible_. It was hate, pure and undeniable **hate.**

Overseer Alaria was almost swimming in it.

The overseer radiated a sense of almost constant disgust. Clearly, she **despised** her position here. The tower, all its wealth, and pleasures were likely her only distractions, but even they could not change the fact that she was here, living in a tower in the middle of nowhere, in a stinking jungle, tending to the training of acolytes that would have likely killed her if they thought for one moment that it would win them even a smidgen of prestige.

The realization amused Avaryss.

 _Behold the queen of the trash pile,_ she thought. Alaria's task was to sift through the weak, and send the strongest and most talented acolytes on to Korriban, while she remained here trapped, and she **despised** it. Taya had mentioned attending some festival last year on Dromund Kaas, and the overseer immediately radiated a sense of extreme jealously. She was angry that the girl had been to a place that she was denied because of her duties.

It was the most delicious of ironies.

This tower was a dream to the acolytes below, a place to escape the drudgery of their training, and the harsh environment of this planet. Yet, to its mistress, it was a cage, a pretty cage perhaps, but a cage none the less.

Alaria clearly knew this, yet suffered in silence. She might have ruled here, but her kingdom disgusted her.

Normally, a Sith would prey on those emotions, try to turn them to their advantage. Avaryss remained cautious however, she had Alaria's favor for the moment, and she did not wish to jeopardize it.

This woman held her future in her hands; it would be unwise to provoke her.

So she stays quiet and ate this lovely meal, far better than the rations that the other Acolytes ate below.

She did her best, to enjoy herself.

IOI

The overseer's quarters were near the very top of the tower, the jungle below looked like a green carpet that led up to the dark and savage sea. Four times the size of the suites that they had put Avaryss and her allies in, this place was more a museum than living quarters, art dotted the walls, sculptures stood here and there, and pretty fountains bubbled merrily in the center of the room. A fine carpet covered the floor of the living area, so thick that it almost demanded that someone take off their shoes and run their bare toes through it. The Overseer's table was large enough to comfortably fit a party of thirty. The food served her was likely he equal of what one could get on Dromund Kaas.

Yet, it is still a cage, Avaryss realized, and oh how Alaria must _**hate**_ her gilded bars. It was funny considering how the acolytes in the jungle suffered below.

The three girls sat to her left and right during the dinner, close enough that they could talk. Avaryss had the place of honor on her right, while Taya and Nass shared a spot on the left.

As for their host, the Overseer was a vision draped in gold. Tall and slender, Alaria wore robes of the finest shimmer silk, both flowing yet tight in all the right places. The small delicate horns that ringed her head were barely visible mostly hidden by her long black hair, hair that was styled into fine braids, bedecked with jeweled decorations; a small diamond chain graced her crimson forehead, glittering like a tiny crown. The black swirling patterns of her tattoos only seemed to add to a sense of nobility of royalty.

She certainly looked the part of a lord. She radiated the dark power of a lord, but Avaryss could guess why she was not one, why she was only an overseer of this academy.

She had power yes, but she was also Zabrak. No matter how wealthy she was, or her power in the dark side, she could not change that simple fact. Aliens that served that Sith usually rose no higher than the army. They were common warriors or assassins, not Lords of the Sith. The only aliens that could rise _that_ high were the pure bloods, and they were few in number.

Avaryss knew this, and she suspected her host did too. She imagined that the overseer spent her days plotting to find a way off this rock, looking for some leverage, something to sway her superiors to find her a better spot somewhere else in the Empire.

The Nautolan might have been that. It was too bad that he had needed to be slain.

As the meal ended the conversation finally turned to acolytes themselves, where they had been, how their training progressed and what they hoped to gain.

Now it was the overseer's turn to listen. Once again the Zabrak turned on the charm, almost fawning over her guests, the conquering heroes. No doubt she was seeking an advantage over them, looking for some lever to pull, or weakness to exploit. Both Taya and Nass came from powerful families in one form or the other. Taya came from great wealth and Nass from a position of political influence.

What the overseer would do with such contacts, Avaryss could not guess, what she did know however was that she would find nothing she could use in _Avaryss'_ history.

I have nothing to offer the Empire, but my power, she realized, my skills and the knowledge that I've gathered. If she was to have a power base of her own one day, it would have to be one that she built herself, from the bottom up.

It would be a challenge, but it was one she welcomed.

The road to vengeance was long, but the goal that awaited her at the end was sweeter than the rarest of wines.

She was patient.

She could wait.

Avaryss did her best to ready herself, to steel herself for battle.

Finally the Overseer's eyes fell upon her.

She smiled and tried to look relax.

"It is rare youngster that a second level acolyte will take a first level as an ally," she began, "Normally, when it **does** happen, the blue shirt ends up being a servant to the red. Clearly that is not the case from what I have heard."

Alaria gave her a warm smile.

"You must be something very special indeed to have avoided that, and caught the eye of these two."

"I must admit, that I'm impressed.

Avaryss merely shrugged.

"I've merely done what I could to serve both the Empire, and the dark side," she replied, "I've been fortunate, the Force has served me well, and opportunities have presented themselves, _profitable_ ones."

She smiled.

"And now, here I sit, no longer a mere first level, but also an honored guest of my Overseer."

She bowed her head.

"You have doubly honored me."

Alaria laughed at her answer.

"Charm? Well now…how _unexpected_! Forgive me, acolyte, but it is a rare to receive such a lovely response from one who was educated in one of our Fury Academies. Typically such institutions are only good for producing shadows or brutes."

Avaryss' temper flickered slightly at the Overseer's words, but she let them pass.

She gave her host a sheepish look.

"You are not wrong, Overseer. Fury 9 was indeed a home for the more thuggish of our order. It was a challenge rising above them, but with the Force as my ally, and the good advice of my most wise Overseers, I prevailed."

She bowed her head in submission.

"And if I may be so bold, may I say that it pleases me that you have continued what my previous instructors started. Your leadership has been both a guiding light and an inspiration to me."

Alaria's reddish skin darkened, she might actually have been blushing.

"You…you honor me, Acolyte."

"I merely speak the truth Overseer," she said bowing her head slightly.

"You are an inspiration to us all."

Avaryss did not look at her companions; their faces were hidden behind their wine glasses, had they not been she could imagine that one or both were rolling their eyes right now.

If anything they should have been impressed.

Part of the social instruction that Taya had offered her included how best to deal with insults from those above her. Once she reached Korriban, she would find herself encountering more and more Sith who would look down on her humble origins.

"You are **not** from Dromund Kaas," Taya had said, "And believe me, there are many on Korriban and Dromund Kaas that will **never** let you forget that. When those people are lords or Darths, responding in anger is not necessarily the best. Some may even try to trap you with those insults, goad you into saying something that you will regret. So you must be smart, be prepared to take it, and turn it to your advantage. You must learn to deflect the insult, be prepared to turn it into a compliment of the lord or lady that has tried to insult you. Humility does not come easy to a Sith, but sometimes, it can be useful to diffuse a dangerous situation."

She had listened to what Taya had said, and had done just that.

True, Avaryss had laid it on a little thick, but it was better to be overly flattering than not here.

She still needed the Zabrak's support; she was prepared to do whatever was necessary to get it.

For the moment, at least, it seemed that she had charmed the overseer.

She intended to keep her that way.

"Do not let Avaryss' modesty fool you overseer," Nass added, "She may have come from humble beginnings but between her swordplay and sorcery, she is a match to many of the other second level acolytes here."

The Inquisitor's daughter smiled.

"You were wise to promote her."

Avaryss gave her companion a surprised but warm smile.

"Thank you, Nass; that…that was kind of you to say."

"I speak only the truth," the other girl said with a shrug.

Avaryss was not quite sure what to make of that.

She would have expected such a comment from Taya. She was a friend after all, but Nass, her upbringing had always guaranteed that there would be a wall between her and her allies.

Such a comment, such a compliment, implied that Nass was playing some sort of game.

Avaryss wondered just what that game might be.

"I've heard tales of your sorcery, young one," Alaria said nodding, "I've even heard that you have already mastered the art of the death field, impressive in one so young."

"I seem to have an affinity for manipulating energies, Overseer. Life energy is not so different than any other form, I find."

"To some, perhaps," the Zabrak agreed a cruel smile on her face, "Perhaps what I've read in the reports about you are true."

Perhaps you are indeed a Sith on the move."

Avaryss smiled, she could not say what reports the Overseer meant. Clearly, someone had their eye on her. The only question was…who?

Master Adaz had spoken of Darth Hecaetus having other followers among the order, perhaps one of them had noticed her, or he had informed them of her recruitment into their sect.

Perhaps one of _them_ was watching her now? Perhaps seeing if she was worthy to become their new apprentice?

If that was the case, she needed to put her best foot forward. If one of the masters had already taken an interest in her, she could not afford to do anything that might jeopardize that.

She would need to be perfect, anything less would be a waste.

As they waited for the desert course to be served, talk finally turned to the girls' future endeavors. As Overseer, the Zabrak could do what she liked with the three, fortunately for them; she seemed to be in a generous mood.

"Acolyte Nass, Acolyte Taya," she began, "After reviewing your files and tabulating the prestige points you have earned in your time here, I'm am pleased to inform you both that your trials here at Butcher's Clearing are now, completed."

She gave them both a winning smile.

"Congratulations, youngsters, you are both free to return to your studies on Korriban."

Both girls beamed.

"Thank you, Overseer," Nass said bowing.

"Yes," Taya said giggling happily, "Thank you, Overseer, you are too kind!"

"You have both earned it." she replied.

Avaryss did what she could to keep her features bland.

" _What was this",_ the dark voice within her growled, _"I killed the Padawan, I did, me and_ _ **me**_ _alone, and they get to go to Korriban!"_

" _That's not fair!"_

She held her tongue, not wishing to draw attention to herself, at least, not yet.

"Congratulations, you two," she said, "I'm sure you will both do great things."

Alaria's gaze found her once again.

"Do not think that I've forgotten about you, my dear," she said, "After all, it was you that struck the killing blow, during our little hunt last night."

"I have a most special reward for you."

Avaryss' heart beat quickened.

A special reward?

Such a reward could be either good, or very bad.

The overseer chuckled.

"The first part of that reward was your promotion to a second level acolyte; you have done more than enough to earn the red tunic you now wear. As for your victory in the hunt, and destroying a Jedi Padawan, it proves beyond a doubt that you have mastered everything that you could hope to master here."

Alaria's grin widened.

"Acolyte Avaryss, allow me to be the first to congratulate you, you have completed your trials here, and effective immediately; you may consider yourself a student of the Korriban academy."

Avaryss' eyes widened. She only just managed to keep from shrieking a victorious war cry!

 _ **Korriban**_ , she thought.

 _ **I did it!**_

Both Nass and Taya went around the table to congratulate her. Taya gave her a hug. While Nass bowed with respect.

Overseer Alaria said nothing; she simply sat there with a contented smile on her face.

"Congratulations to you all, acolytes, you have earned this."

"Thank you, overseer," they said in unison.

Avaryss' head was spinning, and it had nothing to do with wine she had drunk.

Korriban, she thought.

I've made it, Master Adaz!

I'm almost there!

Their host sighed contently.

"Now youngsters, before we get to enjoy our desert, a bit of entertainment."

She rose from her chair and motioned for the three to follow.

While they had been eating several servants had been clearing out a corner of the Overseer's quarters, moving statues, taking paintings off the wall, and now as the four women made their way over, putting down plastic over the carpet.

Avaryss' eyes narrowed, not quite sure what she was seeing.

What was this now?

The overseer nodded after inspecting what the servants had accomplished. She raised her eyes, to the door, and the two Sith troopers standing there.

"Bring him in," she ordered.

The men bowed and turned.

The double doors to the Overseer's suite flew open.

Two more soldiers dragged in a wounded man.

He struggled against his bonds, but clearly had no chance of escape. He was both bruised and bleeding, blood ran from his nose, one of his eyes were black.

Alaria regarded him coldly as the soldiers forced him onto the plastic.

She did not speak again until they were done.

"Girls," she said coldly, "Allow me to introduce you to Char, an old ally of mine. We have served together for many years, both during the war and peace time. Until recently, he was head of my security, trusted to keep both me and all that you see around you safe."

The Zabrak's golden eyes turned colder than, colder than midnight on an ice moon. Her mouth twisted into a cruel sneer.

"He is also the one responsible for letting my Padawan get away. Not only did he let the creature get out of his cell, but let him steal his lightsaber as well."

She looked over at Avaryss.

"I see you have brought it with you today, young Avaryss, good."

She turned back to her old ally.

"It is good that it is here, a man's last request should be honored."

The trio looked at each other, unsure what was happening.

Surprisingly enough, Avaryss realized what it was first.

She gave the overseer a wicked smile.

"Would you like us to tear him to pieces for you, my lord?" she asked.

"We are more than willing."

Nass and Taya looked at her, but then returned their attention to the overseer, nodding as well.

The Zabrak gave them a cruel grin.

"Thank you, but, no girls, that will not be necessary."

She gestured to her former ally, his bonds released, then with barely a thought she gestured to the lightsaber on Avaryss' belt, if flew off and into the hands of the wounded Char.

He looked down at the weapon, and then up at the Overseer.

His eyes narrowed.

"Allie," he said, "I…URK!"

The overseer raised her hand.

The man's body rose into the air, he had not even had time to activate his lightsaber; it fell from his hand with a clatter.

"Pathetic," the Zabrak growled, twisting her fingers this way and that.

The man gasped trying very hard not to scream.

Alaria smiled.

"This man was my ally for many years. Once we were even more than that, closer," she said, "What I do today I take no pleasure in."

Her former ally struggled weakly, caught in a powerful Force grip. From beneath his armor, all could hear snapping sounds, popping sounds; one after the other.

Pop.

Pop,

Pop.

"Forgive me for denying you this pleasure, girls."

Pop.

Pop.

"But the carpet is brand new, and I would rather _**not**_ make a mess."

Pop, Pop..

Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop.

"Consider this a final lesson from this academy. Alliances should _**not**_ last forever.

Pop….Pop. Pop. Pop.

"When they cease to be useful, they should be ended. A used up ally, discarded.

Pop.

Pop.

Pop.

"Never let affection hold you back."

Pop. Pop. Pop.

"We are Sith."

Pop.

Pop. Pop.

Pop.

"In the end, we always stand alone.

Avaryss could not take her eyes off what was happening in front of her. The Zabrak was not simply breaking the man's neck, she was breaking every single bone his body.

A whimpering hissing sound escaped his broken jaw, a strange whistling sound came from his broken nose.

Taya turned green she looked like she was going to be sick!

Nass watched hungrily, feeling the man's agony feeding on it.

Avaryss felt it too; it was a heady sensation to be sure.

 _Such terrible pain_ , she thought.

It was a shame she could not absorb the dying fool's life energy.

Such _**agony,**_ it would have made it a very heady treat!

"Remember girls," the overseer said, turning her hand into a fist.

"No alliance lasts forever."

Pop.

Pop.

Pop.

When it is time to end it."

Pop.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

"Let it end."

 _ **POP!**_

A final gasped escaped the man's throat, then…nothing.

Alaria finally released her grip on what was left. The dead man fell to the plastic with a wet thud. The only thing that kept the body together was the armor he had worn.

Servants moved in quickly, wrapping the body in the plastic, making sure nothing leaked out to stain the Zabrak's brand new carpet.

Overseer Alaria grinned at her young students.

"It has been a pleasure dining with you girls; hopefully we can do it again sometime.

A soft musical chime sounded overhead.

The overseer glanced up, her face flushed with excitement, a rosy red glow to her cheeks.

"Ah, _desert,_ " she said happily, sounding more like a happy child than a Sith Overseer.

She grinned at her three students.

"Come along, dears," she said, "I'm sure my chef has outdone himself again."

She giggled like a school girl.

"I hope you are all still hungry."


	25. The Journey

**Chapter 25: The Journey**

Korriban, birth place of the Sith people, and a world of both darkness and mystery…

…As the shuttle dropped away from the belly of the Harrower class dreadnaught, the orange colored world finally came into view. Its moons moved in a serene orbit, while other dreadnaughts and support ships moved back and forth, forming a defensive screen, protecting both the academy below, and all the dark secrets hidden on the planet's surface.

Avaryss shuddered as she looked through the view port, even at a distance she could sense that something was different about Korriban. Even from orbit, the power and history of this world seemed to be reaching out to her, seeking to touch her very soul.

It calls to us, she realized, this world calls to those who have pledged themselves to the service of the dark side.

A shiver ran down her spine, that and a sense of extreme anticipation.

If one wished to become Sith, to _truly_ take their place among the order, this was where that road ended. Whether you came from Fury, Lord's Reach, or Butcher's Clearing, all roads to power ended with Korriban.

It was here that one's journey to the dark side ended, one way, or another.

All conversation between the acolytes ceased when this world finally came into view. A sense of reverence took them over; the seriousness of what awaited them below finally became real.

Korriban was both a promise and a challenge, great power awaited an acolyte here, but only if they had the strength to grasp it. For the weak, only death was to be found, the Sith did not tolerate those that had come so far, only to trip when the final destination was in reach.

I will not fail, Avaryss thought, I've come to far…

Finally, she thought with a contented sigh, finally…I've truly come home.

IOI

The days leading up to her journey to Korriban had passed in a blur. The trio had remained Overseer Alaria's guests while they awaited the shuttle that would take them off world. During that time, the three girls had access to all the tower had to offer, whatever pleasures they might desire.

Avaryss did attempt to speak with the Overseer once, speak with her regarding what the fallen Padawan had said during the final moments of their duel. What he had said about his allies trying to bring down the Empire.

"I've heard this story," she said dismissively, "I didn't buy it. Jedi do not behave in this way, Acolyte, they do not scheme to bring people down that is our way. Still, you do not need to worry. I passed what I heard onto Imperial Intelligence, if there are Jedi out there plotting against us, the Imperials will find them, and let us know."

The young Acolyte nodded, she supposed that would have to do…for now.

Alaria smiled at her.

"Do not let the words of some dead Padawan distract you, young one, this is _**your**_ time. Enjoy your last few days here, Korriban will offer you a whole new level of challenges once you arrive."

She tried to follow her Overseer's suggestion.

She tried to enjoy herself.

Avaryss had chosen solitude, after the constant struggle with the crowds in the Butcher's Block; she welcomed the quiet of her suite, especially when the servants had been told that she did not wish to be disturbed.

She used that time to reflect on what had happened, what she had faced since leaving Oridanna all those months ago. It had been almost a year since her family's murder, and in that time she had changed drastically, both physically, and mentally.

Keera Lylos' life seemed quite far away from her now. Sometimes it seemed like it had all been a dream. The challenge of rising through the ranks of the Sith had all but consumed her. What did Oridanna and what was happening there matter in the face of that?

Power is what matters, she had come to realize. The more she gathered, the easier it would be for achieve her goals. She still intended to seize control of Darth Feer's holdings, but once that was done; she would have a decision to make.

Would she maintain the status quo, or tear the whole sorry mess down. Both solutions had their merits; she would need to come to decision when the time came. What end would serve her best? How far was she willing to go to see the man who had destroyed her family punished?

She was not entirely sure yet, when the time came, she would need to be ready.

She also needed to come to a decision regarding her alliance with Nass and Taya. They had been useful towards reaching her goal, but as the overseer's lesson over dessert had shown, no alliance could last forever.

Taya had promised to stay out of her way once they reached Korriban, but Nass had made no such promise, and even if she had, there was no guarantee that either girl would be able to keep it. Once the overseers on Korriban heard about their alliance, it was only a matter of time until they tried to break it up.

In the end, a Sith always stood alone, that was the way of the dark side.

Was it not better that they end their alliance now, rather than risk one of the instructors on Korriban doing it for them?

Perhaps, but at the same time, she might end up **needing** her allies, it was safe to say she was walking into a hostile environment.

When word reached Korriban about what had happened here, Avaryss suspected that her success here would be the equivalent of drawing a target on her back.

It would be a good idea to try and maintain their alliance, at least for now. Once she had managed to impress the instructors on Korriban that would change, but for now…

She would do her best to keep their little band together.

To that end, she tried to spend time with her allies, maintain the illusion that everything was fine. The pleasures the tower offered were many, they were even better when not sampled alone. The three of them continued to take meals together. Nass continued her political education, and when not discussing imperial politics, they engaged in sword training together. It was quite easy for the overseer to arrange worthy opponents for the two girls.

It gave Avaryss a chance to see just how good the Inquisitor's daughter was with a blade. Like Avaryss, she preferred the single hilted blade to the double, and when the dark side was with her, Nass was as lethal as anyone else Avaryss had ever seen. Occasionally, Taya would join them, but the blonde's idea of fun did not involve sword play. Violence for her was only means to an end.

"If violence won't tempt you," Nass said one night, her arms draped around two very muscular pleasure slaves, "perhaps you might be interested in a bit of vice?"

She tried hard to convince them into making use of the overseer's pleasure slaves, use them as she did, but both of them declined, though Avaryss did eventually agree to get a massage from one, at Taya's insistence. It had felt strange at first, laying there, both undressed and unarmed, while some slave rubbed her back, legs, and shoulders. Of course, as all of her tension melted beneath those gentle fingers, she learned the value of letting go.

By the end of the session, she had been so relaxed, she had been almost purring like a felinx.

Apparently, there was something to world that Taya had been born into. Avaryss promised herself to keep a more open mind about it in the future.

Of course, all good things had to end eventually, and soon the three found themselves boarding a shuttle in the tower's docking bay. They left with little fanfare, but that was for the best.

While they had been enjoying the overseer's hospitality, there had apparently been several attempts by their fellow acolytes to breach the tower, and… _punish_ the three of them for stealing the kill during the open hunt.

Alaria dealt with those attempts harshly, but made a point to tell the trio of what transpired.

Their success had awakened great jealousy in their peers, jealousy that was quickly turning to hatred. It furthered the other students training, but at same time invited attempts at revenge that were doomed to fail.

Nothing came of those attempts of course, but it was safe to say that it was good that the three were leaving Butcher's Clearing behind.

They had made no friends with their success.

They boarded the shuttle together; from there they were taken back to the orbital medical station they had stopped at on their way in. All three were quickly examined, to make sure they had not contracted anything dangerous on the surface, from there; they boarded the shuttle again, and eventually found their way back to the pleasure station that they had stopped at before beginning their trials in the Clearing.

It would not be a long stop over, they had been informed. A dreadnaught would be coming to take them to Korriban in twenty hours; they had little time to enjoy the stations revels.

Of course, that did not mean that they did not try.

As second level acolytes, the first levels were wise to get out of their way. When there was a line to get into any establishment, the first levels moved aside and let them enter first. Avaryss kept her head high as she passed. She could feel the envy from the first levels, but found that she couldn't care less. She was one of the chosen now, a student of the Korriban academy, before she had just been part of the crowd.

Now she stood above them, the first levels were smart to stay out of their way.

She hated to admit it, but she came to enjoy it.

She was starting to take pleasure in her new life.

Over drinks, the three discussed strategy, what they would likely face when they reached Korriban.

"There are only two overseers on Korriban that you need to worry about impressing, Farm Girl," Nass advised her. "Overseer Tremel and Harkun."

"I would not worry too much about Harkun, though," Taya added, "He usually is tasked with dealing with the more undesirable students, those who the dark lords typically ignore."

Avaryss frowned.

"Wouldn't that include _me_? I can't imagine that my training on Fury 9 will endure me to anyone."

"Before your victory over the Padawan, sure," Nass said with a shrug, "But with that win under your belt. Tremel wouldn't dare risk you falling through the cracks. He will take you on, I'm sure of it, if only to boost his own success rate."

Avaryss smiled slyly.

 _It was nice to know her victory continued to count for something._

"You will find that Korriban is much more structured than _Butcher's Clearing_ ," Taya said, "With so many students on the cusp of being full Sith, order must be maintained. You will find the training regimen much stricter than in the lower level academies."

Avaryss grinned.

Good.

The more structure, the better!

It had been too long since she had gotten to test herself in a dueling ring, and during her time in the Clearing, she had come to miss the library back on Fury 9. She suspected that any library on Korriban must contain items ten times more valuable than any she had found on Fury.

Having access to both would be good; it would also give her a chance to feel out her fellow acolytes, identify those who were a danger to her from the very beginning.

From there, it would be easy to start eliminating them, or at the very least seeking out ways to neutralize them, make sure they could not hinder her training.

She found herself growing more and more eager.

She could not wait to get to Korriban!

"You should try to gain the support of at least one of the Overseers," Nass advised, "I would suggest Tremel, he is a staunch traditionalist, but if you treat him with the respect that a full master deserves, you will do well."

"I agree," Taya added, "Harkun is an **ass."**

Taya shook her head with disgust.

"Mark my words, one of these days, some Dark Lord that Harkun trained is going to come back to Korriban and **fry** him for the way he treats his students."

Avaryss chuckled.

"Not a fan, I take it?"

The blonde frowned.

"I caught him staring at me during training, once," she said with a frown, "The look on his face, what I was sensing through the Force. If he wasn't an overseer, I would have popped his eyes out for such an affront."

Her response made both her allies giggle like school girls.

" _Whoa,_ there Tay," Avaryss chuckled, "That is a little violent for you isn't it?"

"It is _Korriban_ ," the blonde shrugged, "Be prepared for violence, or prepare to be dead."

Her friend's words made her shudder.

Perhaps, Taya was not as light side as she thought, perhaps Korriban brought out the Sith in people.

She would have to watch her ally closely; this was a side of her she had never seen before.

"Anything else I need to worry about? Anyone else I need to watch out for?"

Her two allies looked at each other, their expression serious.

Nass sighed.

"Even if you manage to gain the support of one of the overseers, you still need to be careful. I'm not sure how things were done on Fury 9, but on Korriban, the overseers have a habit of picking out a favorite from among the students. Not surprising, this student rises through the ranks, and quickly becomes top dog."

"The overseers have a tendency to use their favorites to eliminate those they feel are weak, or a threat to the order as a whole. Tremel has done that in the past, or at least, people say he has, no one could prove it of course, if the favorite fails, they are dead, and no evidence remains to link back to him."

"I'm not surprised," Avaryss said, "It was not so different on Fury. Our overseers had their favorites as well, I should know…"

She grinned proudly.

"I was one of them."

"Then you know enough to be careful," Nass replied, "If one of the overseer's favorites comes after you, you won't have very good luck in trying to find help. If you _**do**_ manage to eliminate that favorite, you will definitely get people to sit up and take notice, but you still have to be careful.

"The overseers don't like it when an acolyte breaks their toys."

"Most people with power don't," Avaryss said thoughtfully.

"Who was the top dog when you two left? Who did the overseers favor?"

"Ghuur," Taya said with a shudder.

"Yeah," Nass agreed, "Ghuur."

"Who is Ghuur?" Avaryss inquired.

"Tremel's most recent favorite, real nasty piece of work, the overseer **loved** him."

Taya shuddered.

"Nass tried to deal with him, before we left for _Butcher's Clearing_ , but the plan fell through."

"Really," Avaryss said, her interest suddenly peaked.

"What happened," she asked her ally, "What did you do?"

The Inquisitor's daughter sighed.

"I convinced five novices to attack him, out in the Valley of the Dark Lords. I promised them my aid and patronage if they succeeded."

Avaryss gave her a wry smile.

"I take it they didn't?"

"No," Nass frowned, "they did **not**. Ghuur killed three of them, the fourth he maimed, cutting off his arms and legs. The fifth ended up in a coma, may never walk again."

Nass pouted.

"It was five on one. _**Five**_ , and **still** they failed. At the very least they could have _wounded_ him."

She snorted.

"I should have chosen a better quality of minion."

"Any chance of what happened getting back to the overseer," Avaryss inquired, "Any chance the two survivors might talk.

Nass gave her a wicked smile.

"None," she answered, "The one in the coma suffered brain damage, severe damage. if he lives it is doubtful he will remember his own name, let alone mine. The limbless wonder, well, I made sure to _silence_ him before I left for _Butcher's Clearing_ , just in case."

She shrugged.

"Can't have someone talking out of turn, can I?"

The story and how it ended gave Avaryss pause. She knew Nass could be ruthless, but…

She had never attempted anything so **brazen** in the Clearing, if anything; it showed how high the stakes were for the students on Korriban. Being willing to go that far, to take that kind of risk…it was dangerous true, but worthy of respect.

Avaryss smiled.

"Not at all," she said, "You did the right thing."

She laughed lightly.

"I guess good help is very hard to find these days."

"Thanks," Nass smirked, "That means a lot."

"Don't mention it," Avaryss said.

Her mind was already working, moving faster and faster.

It seemed that Korriban might just be more dangerous than Butcher's Clearing or Fury 9 combined.

She needed to be careful.

After that, talk turned to more pleasant topics. As the alcohol flowed, the girl's inhibitions began to fade.

Taya decided they needed to do something to mark the occasion, to celebrate their good fortune.

Her idea was to do something permanent.

She thought they should all get **tattoos**.

"Nothing stupid," she giggled, her voice slurring slightly, " _Sith_ Tattoos, glyphs that will help us focus our powers.'

She grinned widely.

"Plus, they are pretty, status symbols."

Nass smirked and hiccupped.

"I'm game if the Farm Girl is."

Avaryss giggled.

"Why not," she said, "Let's do something fun!"

Somehow the three girls found their feet, managed to make it out of the establishment, and find the nearest tattoo artist.

Avaryss almost backed out when they stood outside the door; she suddenly thought she heard her mother's voice in her head.

 _No Keera!_ _ **No**_ _tattoos!_

Fortunately, she had friends to keep her on track.

"Come along, Farm Girl," Nass cackled, "Your skin is not **that** pretty!"

"Yeah Avy," Taya slurred, "Live in the now."

After that, things got a little fuzzy.

She woke up an hour before their ship was scheduled to leave, hung over, with an extremely itchy back.

She dared pull up her tunic and look in the mirror, what she saw surprised her.

From her shoulder blades, right below the neck and straight down to her tailbone ran a series of Sith glyphs. She could feel her power radiating from them; clearly these symbols were old and very powerful.

She could not remember their meaning, but perhaps that was for the best.

What happens on the pleasure station should stay on the pleasure station.

Taya had chosen only to get one on the small of her back. Nass on her forehead in the style most popular by the high lords of the past, she said it was the symbol of her family, that it marked her as the heir of a noble family.

Neither Taya nor Avaryss could say if that was true.

Despite their revels from the night before and the pain from their new markings the trio did manage to make their shuttle. It brought them to the Harrower class dreadnaught, _The Fearsome_ ; it would be their escort to Korriban.

Avaryss shivered as she stepped off the shuttle and onto the hangar deck.

There were Imperials everywhere, carrying out their duties, most helmeted and armored. She found herself thinking about her brother.

Was he on a ship like this? Did he know what happened to our family?

She brushed those thoughts aside; Beric Lylos was Keera's brother, not Avaryss'.

She needed to stop focusing on this. Whatever connection they had was fading. Once she was full Sith their blood ties would not matter.

The Sith would be her family, her brothers and sisters.

She tried to focus on that.

 _The Fearsome_ made good time, in no time at all; they were dropping out of hyperspace, and being escorted back to the shuttle by some nameless ensign.

Avaryss had been grateful to go.

She had been sensing something in the Force. She was not sure what it was, but it…it left her feeling…uneasy.

She was glad to be getting off. It was probably just nerves, but still…

She would be glad to be off this ship.

IOI

As the shuttle finally cut through the clouds, the surface of Korriban finally became visible.

Avaryss shivered with anticipation.

The planet appeared desolate, few lived on Korriban these days, only a small star port existed to service the needs of the Academy, and that was far from what a person could call civilization.

As the academy came into view, so too did the wind worn statues left by the Empire's founders. Great statues of bowing subjects led up to the Academy entrance, an entrance covered by anti-ship batteries.

As the shuttle made its final approach the sheer size of the pyramid that made up the academy left her spellbound. It was far wider that the tower on Butcher's Clearing, and nearly as tall. The modern Sith has made improvements of course, a landing pad and greeting area of some sort.

The shuttle touched down lightly. The three Acolytes gathered their few belongings and disembarked.

As soon as her feet touched the surface, Avaryss felt a sort of hum, the world sang of dark power, and secrets long hidden.

She smiled cruelly.

My future is here, she thought.

Whatever happens, my time here will shape everything to come. Everything!

She held her head high, and stepped forward. A man in a military style uniform was awaiting them; she could feel his power even from here.

It seemed they were expected.

Good.

It was time to get started.


	26. The Dark World

**Chapter 26: The Dark World**

"So, you are the one that they are calling _the Hero of Butcher's Clearing_."

Overseer Tremel's eyes narrowed as he paced around her, his cool eyes evaluating her. Avaryss remained at parade rest, her hands behind her back.

The senior Sith snorted with disbelief.

"I must admit acolyte. I find myself, _unimpressed_."

She took no offense, by now she was use to condemnation by her superiors, it only made it that much more fun when she rose to the occasion.

"Give a girl a chance, overseer, and do not bet against me," she said in a prim and proper Dromund Kaas accent.

"Within in a month, I will have you singing my praises."

His expression betrayed nothing.

"That remains to be seen, Acolyte."

He sighed and returned to his chair.

"That remains to be seen."

She had been summoned here within moments of her arrival; she had not yet even had time to settle in. Taya had offered to see that her things made it safely to her new quarters while Avaryss presented herself to Overseer Tremel.

He was unlike her previous teachers. Both Phylon and Alaria had both been far more flamboyant. Adaz had maintained a sense grim seriousness, but in the end he was more blade master than he had ever been an overseer.

Tremel was different. The dark skinned human was soft spoken, yet his presence filled the room. The military style uniform he wore hinted at a loyalty to the Empire that her previous instructors could not match.

He sat back at his desk, his cool eyes evaluating her, perhaps trying to determine if everything that had been said about her was true.

Avaryss hoped not to disappoint him. Finally, she had reached a man who could put her within in reach of a Lord of the Sith.

If she was to accomplish her goals, she needed to win Tremel's respect and support.

She was prepared to do whatever it took.

She had come too far to accept anything less.

"Do not let your successes to this point go to your head, Acolyte," he advised, "On Korriban, all those past successes do is make you a target for your more ambitious peers. They will seek to destroy you if they can, for no other reason to prove their superiority."

"I'm well aware of the risks," she tilted her head in acknowledgement, "But the reward is worth it. I was born to be Sith, Overseer, all I ask is a chance to prove it."

"That is what is offered here above all else, Acolyte, a chance to prove yourself."

Tremel picked up a pad from his desk and entered several commands. She could not see what he was looking at, but suspected it was something to do with her training.

"The reports your previous instructors have provided suggests both talent in saber combat, and the art of Sith sorcery. A rare set of skills considering you started out at one of the Furies. Still you are not the first lord to rise from that scum, to prove yourself more than what is usually produced in such places."

He smiled slightly.

"Prove your worth to me, and I will give you access to spells and rituals that would make even the most powerful of lord leery of you, or if you so choose our sword masters will sharpen your skills to such a degree that even the highest of Jedi masters will be unwilling to meet you blade upon blade.

"Either path would please me," she nodded, "As long as it draws to me the attention of one of the Sith Masters, the lords that oversee our great Empire."

She smiled.

It is from one of them that I wish to continue my studies, and one day take my place among them."

"Gaining the attention of a lord can be both good and dangerous, Acolyte. Remain true to my ideals, and I will make sure that your first contact with them is as cordial as it is profitable."

"You honor me, master," she said bowing respectfully.

"How do I start?"

"For now, you must be patient," he advised, "attend to your studies, and training. I will provide you with a chance to prove yourself soon. The lords are always looking for acolytes willing to risk themselves in the Valley of the Dark Lords. Many secrets still remain in that place, waiting for us to uncover."

The overseer smiled coldly.

"It is not for the faint of heart, however. The tombs of the valley are dangerous. Vicious predators, traps, not to mention exiled acolytes who now live there, they were failures you see, and now they refuse to accept defeat and death. Any of these things could kill you if given the opportunity. At the same time, you must be careful of your fellow students, a Sith must arrange his or her own promotion. There are many here who would happily see you fall."

Avaryss frowned.

"Like Ghuur?" she asked.

Tremel gave her an arched look.

"Now where did you hear that name, I wonder? Oh well, it is not important, not anymore. Ghuur was **slain** a month ago. He made the mistake of challenging the wrong student. He paid for that choice with his life."

That got Avaryss attention, especially after what Taya had told her. She had never met this Ghuur, but to hear that he defeated five Force sensitives on his own, and now that he fallen to a _single_ student.

It might be wise to learn who this student was.

"Is the student that slew Ghuur still here?"

"He is indeed," Tremel admitted, "His name is Fehl. He is a powerful pureblood with a very storied lineage."

Tremel smiled at her. He must have noticed the look on her face,

"Do not get any ideas, Acolyte. You just got here; you are not ready to take on Fehl yet. The young man has caught the eye of many of the dark lords. I suspect that it will not be long before he ascends to the rank of full Sith. If I may offer you some advice, challenging him would be foolish at this time. I would not seek a confrontation with him, not yet, anyway, not until you have learned more about his capabilities."

She waved her hand dismissively.

"I would never be so foolish. The quickest way to victory can also be the quickest way to failure, especially for the unwary."

She smiled.

"I try to avoid unwariness; it can be hazardous for one's health."

"A wise attitude, Acolyte," he said with a nod.

"Keep it in mind, and you may just find what you seek here."

She bowed respectfully.

"That is exactly what I intend, overseer." She said.

"I won't let you down."

IOI

After being dismissed by Tremel, Avaryss sought out her quarters. Several of the students she passed in the hall murmured excitedly as she passed them by. It seemed that word of what happened in the Clearing had proceeded her.

Good.

A reputation was both a good and bad thing. Yes, it painted a target on her back, but it was also an opportunity.

Let her lessers try to take her down. She would crush them easily, and her prestige here would grow. Still, it was wise to remain cautious, until she gained a bit more information about her fellows; she knew that she should go around picking fights.

She wanted to check in with Nass and Taya. She knew that Ghuur had fallen, she found herself wanting to know more about the one who had defeated him, this Fehl.

Even Tremel had recognized that the quickest path to her goal would be by defeating him, and gaining the attention of the dark lords. She was ambitious enough now to attempt such a plan, but would need more information first.

The stakes were too high to risk everything on a single gamble. She would need to study her prey first; simply leaping in audaciously would be a mistake.

After a brief stop in her new quarters, she tracked down Nass and Taya. Her two allies had moved quickly in getting themselves reacquainted with their old contacts, finding out what had happened in their absence.

Word of Ghuur's defeat had pleased Nass greatly. She was now safe from any possible reprisal for her role in the incident with the five novices.

Like Avaryss, she was also interested in the new top student. Being back on Korriban had filled Nass with a new sense of ambition, she was eager to get started in destroying this new opponent.

Avaryss promised to aid her when the time was right. They may have been getting a little ahead of themselves, but it was good to know that they still shared a common goal. Taya said she would help as well, but echoed Tremel's view that they should proceed cautiously. What had worked for the trio in the Clearing would not necessarily work here on Korriban.

Things had changed in their absence, and this was a new hunting ground for Avaryss. Caution was key.

Before evening meal they were summoned by Overseer Harkun for saber training. The full class gathered so that the overseer could get a look at the new arrivals.

Harkun, like Tremel, was human, but any similarities ended there. Stocky, pale skinned, with short rust colored hair, and cold gray eyes, the overseer radiated a sense of disdain and superiority.

While Tremel ruled through his command presence and his accomplishments, Harkun reveled in his unpleasantness; he openly sought the fear and hatred of his students. His first words to them were to call them all slime, filth, and the thing that real dark lords scrape off the bottom of their boots.

 _Dangerous_ , Avaryss thought, _so many of us are so close to becoming Sith. It seemed foolish to cultivate such hatred. Especially when you_ _ **knew**_ _that your students would likely be ascending to a place of higher rank._

All it did was give his students more power. Taya was right, this man was an ass. It was only a matter of time before some lord came back here and dealt with Harkun for one slight or another.

A Sith did not tolerate an insult to live for long.

Harkun acknowledged Taya and Nass' return. Commenting how their survival in Butcher's Clearing showed that they were not completely useless. His eyes then fell on Avaryss. He sneered as he approached.

She held her ground.

She would not be intimidated.

"So," he growled, "You are the Hero of Butcher's Clearing? You defeated a Jedi Padawan almost single handed?"

"It was a team effort, Overseer," she responded, "But it was I that dealt the final blow."

"I thought so," he sneered, "There is no way that someone from one of the Furies could accomplish such a task without aid from her betters. You will find no such help here, girl. Everyone here is out for themselves. If you seek to find any help here, all you will be doing is digging your own grave."

She did not respond, arguing with this man would gain her nothing but scorn.

It was better to stay silent.

"Heroes can be overrated," he spat, "I would see your vaunted skills for myself. Step into the training circle, girl, and draw your blade. Let us see how tough you are."

She nodded and stepped forward. Her war blade was not allowed in the dueling ring of course, but that was fine, a training saber would be enough to teach the arrogant overseer some respect.

She should have realized that that would not happen. Harkun was not foolish enough to engage a student in combat. He would not risk his vaunted position being defeated by some upstart.

"Acolyte Ulgar," he called out, "Step forward, let us see how are little hero fairs against you."

Avaryss watched as her opponent sauntered into the dueling ring. Ulgar was an ugly piece of work, yellow eyes, two missing front teeth, pale skin, and a bald head with two crisscrossing blade scars that ran above his left eye and down to his jaw.

He was also a head taller than her, and powerfully built.

He gave her a wide open mouthed smile, showing off his broken teeth.

"You ready, pretty one," he scoffed, "Ulgar is ready to mess up that cute face of yours."

Avaryss did not bother responding with words. She simply dropped into a fighting stance.

She was not afraid of Harkun's pet. After what she had endured to get here, she was prepared for anything…

…or so she thought.

Ulgar lunged forward with a speed she did not expect, one moment he was standing with his blade at his side, and the next it was whirling dangerously close to her face. It was only through her connection to the Force that she had avoided seriously injury. She could tell by the glow of his blade that the Acolyte had his sword turned up far higher than it should have been. Being struck even a minor blow could do serious damage.

He rained down blows upon her; his grasp of Djem-So was impressive as was his speed. He snarled like a wild animal as he pushed her back. She had never met the man until this moment, yet he attacked like she was his most hated enemy.

Her skill with Soresu was being severely tested; the man was all fire and fury. He attacked, attacked, and attacked some more.

Though she was hard pressed to hold him back, she was not worried. He could not go on like this forever. Eventually he would start to tire, and then…he would be hers. When he started to weaken, she would be able to catch her breath, switch to Makashi and end this.

The world fell away; all that remained was the hiss and hum of training blades.

She continued to back up, shifting her feet as to not be backed into a corner. Ulgar hammered her defense tirelessly, feeding off his rage and disdain.

She let herself slip deeper into the dark side, drawing on its power. It would not be long now, soon…

" _ **Enough!"**_

She blinked, Harkun's words shaking her from her rhythm.

It was all the distraction that Ulgar needed.

She blocked one of the man's powerful thrusts, but was staggered, with her blade out of position; Ulgar drove a powerful kick into her belly. All the air left her lungs with a whoosh, and she found herself on her back. She tried to recover, but her opponent brought his foot down on the wrist of her sword hand, pinning it to the ground. He put just enough pressure on it to hold her in place, but when she tried to move, he put more weight down, anymore and her wrist would break.

She only just held back a yelp of pain.

She found herself staring up at her opponent, his blade at her throat, the wide open mouth grin on his face.

She glared up defiantly. Harkun stepped into view, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"I guess you are not as strong as you thought," he purred.

"You said _enough_ ," she spat back, "You called an end to the duel."

"I did," he nodded, "But Ulgar was already committed to his final move. I decided to let it play out, and now, here we are."

The overseer sneered.

"It seems that the only thing they taught you at Fury is how to retreat. Any child can run away. If you are not prepared to be aggressive, you have no place here."

She said nothing, what was there to say.

This had _**not**_ been about testing her skill. Harkun had wanted to _humiliate_ her, to establish his dominance over her. As an overseer on Korriban, he had to have recognized what she had been trying to do, wearing her opponent down. By stopping the fight at that moment...

Her cheeks burned.

She could feel the amusement of her fellow acolytes; they had enjoyed seeing her brought low. If Harkun had wanted to take her down a peg, then it was safe to say that he had succeeded.

Any reputation she had brought here had just taken a serious hit.

Heard dislike for both Harkun and his pet grew fivefold.

Ulgar continued to grin, he shifted more of his weight down on her wrist; she expected to hear bones snap any second.

It was all she could do to keep from crying out!

"That is **enough** ," Harkun said, "Our little hero has learned her lesson."

The other acolyte stepped away; Avaryss managed to scramble back, finding her feet, and recover her training blade. Her wrist throbbed painfully, but did not feel broken.

She glared at the grinning Ulgar as she took her place back in line next to Taya and Nass. Her two allies said nothing.

They clearly did not wish to take any share of her shame.

Form into lines, slimes," Harkun snarled, "I want to see your saber techniques, start with the basics of Shii-cho and work forward.

Hs grinned savagely.

"Let's see how worthless you all truly are."

The next hour was an exercise in pain for Avaryss, her wrist was not broken, but it was badly bruised, possibly even sprained, her saber technique suffered for it, yet she tried to push forward, work through the pain.

She could feel Harkun's gaze upon her, she could almost sense his satisfaction as he watched her struggle.

It was all she could do to keep from using one of the nastier spells she knew upon him. It would have been satisfying, but it also would have been the end of her.

Attacking an overseer on Korriban would more than likely be an offense punishable by death.

No matter how much the Overseer deserved it.

She held the pain in check the best she could, drawing on her anger at Harkun to make herself stronger. She could sense the other acolytes watching her. A strange sense of interest filled her mind.

It made her curious.

She was sensing a presence, very strong in the Force, and clearly watching her and her alone. It did not feel like either Harkun or Tremel, but it was close by.

She sensed no hostility, which surprised her, more like…curiosity.

She found herself intrigued.

When Harkun finally called the saber drills to a halt, he had the students form up in a circle.

It was time for open challenges, he informed them.

Time to test just how strong they truly were.

Avaryss rubbed her wounded wrist, cursing the overseer even more.

Any fool with half her talent would have an easy time beating her now. Given time, she could have used a life drain spell to lessen the bruising, but she doubted that the overseer would give her that chance.

Her eyes drifted over her fellow acolytes, more than a few were looking at her like she was a meal to be devoured.

She tried to project a sense of indifference, hoping to bluff her way through the challenges.

She did not think that she would have any luck.

"Let us begin," Harkun practically radiated excitement, eager to see which of his charges would try to take down the Hero of Butcher's Clearing."

"I challenge Ulgar!"

Avaryss blinked, the challenge had not come from within the group of students!

It had come from outside of it.

An acolyte stepped forward, he wore the same red tunic and leggings that they all did, but he also wore a fine black hooded cloak, a cloak adorned with gold threading, threading formed into the Sith glyphs and the symbols of the Empire.

Murmured conversations broke out among the students, surprise radiated out like light from a star.

Ulgar paled, while Harkun turned to address the speaker.

He looked as shocked as everyone else.

"What is this Fehl," he demanded.

Avaryss' eyes widened.

Fehl.

 _The academy's top student!_

 _What in the name of the Emperor was going on?!_

He stood a head taller than Harkun, his shoulders far broader. Golden eyes glinted from beneath the cowl, a merry smile showing very white teeth. His face was barely visible, but she could see a strong crimson skinned jaw, two short tendrils on either side of his chin.

"I said I challenge, Overseer," he repeated, his voice like a velvet cloth pulled tight over a mailed fist, soft, cultured, but as hard as Mandalorean Iron.

"The meaning is quite clear."

Harkun blinked, unsure of how to answer.

"But…but you **never** challenge?"

Fehl laughed.

"Never say never, I guess," he looked at Ulgar.

"Do you accept, or go crawling back to the sewer Harkun found you in?"

Ulgar snarled and drew his blade.

With an amused laugh, Fehl let his cloak fall away.

Avaryss' breath caught in her throat.

Fehl was large for a pure blood, large and muscular, crimson skin pulled tight over powerful muscles. A strong Sith brow sat just above his eyes two delicate points that came just short of his ears. Long black hair hung in a single braid down his powerful back. He never took his eyes off his opponent as he stepped into the center of the ring. One of the acolytes scooped up his cloak and held it, clearly waiting for Fehl to ask for it again.

He…he radiated not only dark side power, but a sense of…well _maleness._

It left her a little weak in the knees.

As he had done with her, Ulgar attacked Fehl brutally, his blade flashing in rapid heavy strikes. Fehl fell back using Soresu as if he had been born with a blade in his hand, every move smooth, and every block perfect.

Most Sith would have expected such a large being to be slow, but the pure blood moved with a grace that was both surprising, and shocking for one of his size. He held off Ulgar's attacks with ease. Toying with him as a Tukata might toy with a pelko bug.

Then with the quickness of an Hssiss, he went on the attack.

Avaryss recognized, the style, Juyo, one of the most aggressive forms of lightsaber combat.

Ulgar had no chance.

Fehl blade was on a low setting, when it caught the other man's arm, it paralyzed the limb, he lost his sword, but Fehl wasn't finished. He drove his foot into the other man's knee cap, shattering it. As he fell forward, the pure blood drove his elbow into the man's face breaking both his jaw, and nose, not to mention costing him a few more teeth.

Choking on his own blood, Ulgar went down. He tried to retrieve his sword with his off hand, but Fehl stomped down hard on it, breaking his fingers.

The wounded Acolyte howled, unable to rise, he pulled his injured hand tight against his chest.

The cry must have offended his opponent, because Fehl, put his foot on the other man's throat, just enough to strangle any further cry.

It was then that he did something surprising.

He looked at Avaryss, this golden eyes meeting her blue ones.

He was smiling, hungrily.

That look…it made her heart flutter, and skip a beat. Her mouth was dry, and her heart pounded. She…she was without words.

He arched his brow, that sardonic look seemed to be asking a question.

 _What is your desire?_ That look seemed to say.

 _You are the wounded party here, milady._

 _Life or death?_

Avaryss swallowed hard, unsure what was happening!

Ulgar was pinned beneath Fehl's boot, gurgling noises escaping his throat.

He would do it, she realized, all it would take was a nod.

She almost did it.

"That is enough, Fehl;" Harkun said quickly, "Victory is yours."

The pure blood held her gaze a moment more, then he chuckled dismissively.

"So I am," he said sounding bored, "Far too easy."

He took his weight off the other man's neck; he lay there, broken and coughing.

Fehl's eyes fell on Harkun.

" _That_ overseer," he said, "Was a demonstration of Soresu, the defenders style. It may not be as aggressive as Juyo but it opens so many doors, especially when the enemy is weakened. All it takes is time to set an opponent up. Provided that some fool does not intervene."

Harkun coughed, and Avaryss had to fight the urge to laugh.

Fehl wasn't calling him a fool, not directly, but the implication was there.

Normally, Harkun would have been furious, but Fehl had the attention of many of the dark lords, or so Tremel had claimed.

Such attention…clearly had its advantages.

Fehl said nothing more, he used the Force to retrieve his cloak and left the circle, Ulgar still lay wheezing on the stone.

Any further challenges were put off for the day.

Surprises had that effect on some people.

Avaryss watched the pure blood leave; he looked back only once catching her gaze.

Now…she knew who it had been who had been watching her. She felt the same presence in his regard.

It was…warm…curious.

She…she did not know what to make of it.

As the top student of the academy, she and Fehl should have been rivals. He should wish her destroyed. There was no reason for him to stick his neck out for her, but he had done it. He could not punish Harkun for her pain, but he could make Ulgar pay, and pay he had.

Sadly, the pure blood did not remain to offer her any answers, he left with barely another word.

Avaryss was speechless.

Harkun called for guards to take Ulgar down to medical, he glared at Avaryss like this was somehow **her** fault.

She looked over at Nass and Taya, her allies looked equally confused.

"What…in the Emperor's name…was that?" Nass said.

"I don't know," Taya agreed grinning, "But that had to be one of the _**hottest**_ things I've ever seen."

She looked over at her companion, a sly smile on her face.

"I think you have an admirer, Avy."

Avaryss blushed. She turned away, wishing she had a cloak like Fehls.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

The blonde grinned at her.

"Some warrior cultures like to show off their prowess to potential mates, the Mandaloreans for example."

Taya's grin broadened.

"I think our top student was trying to get your attention."

Avaryss blinked.

 _Potential mate?_

 _Impossible!_

 _ **Not** here!_

 _Not on **Korriban.**_

"He was trying to i _ntimidate_ me," she said quickly, _yes, that was the only thing that made sense._

Her friend giggled.

"You don't sound _intimidated_ , if that was his goal. I think that turned you on, it _certainly_ did me."

Avaryss gave her a look of pure horror.

 _ **What?**_

 _ **No!**_

 _ **Impossible!**_

"You are reading too much into this Taya," Nass said, "Pure bloods don't behave like that, especially with a girl with no family name and no wealth."

Avaryss glared at her.

"No offense," the Inquisitors daughter said quickly.

"None taken," she said, her eyes following where Fehl had retreated.

"Well what do you think it was, Avy?" Taya asked.

"He was looking at you in the end, what did you sense?"

She shook her head.

It was hard to say, she could sense powerful emotions like anger and hate, those were common, old friends, what she had felt when she looked into Fehl's eyes that had been something different. It felt…like nothing had ever felt before. It was something…that had made her whole body warm.

She did not tell her allies that, she did not **dare!**

"I…I don't know," she murmured, the sense of confusion she was feeling drowning out any pain from her injured wrist.

"I don't know."


	27. The Confrontation

**Chapter 27: Confrontation**

"I ran into Fehl out in the tombs. We talked."

Night was once again settling over Korriban, the last of the sun's rays touching the base of the Sith Academy. Avaryss had only just returned from the Valley of the Dark Lords, she had missed dinner, and been forced to stop in the kitchens for something to eat, not wishing to disturb anyone she had taken the food back to her quarters, balancing her meal on a small tray, and sat down upon her bed, she had just been about to eat, when there had been a knock at her door. Taya had come to check in on her. She had been concerned when her ally had not showed up at dinner.

It was touching that the other girl was concerned for her safety, but it was unnecessary, Avaryss was no fool, she had learned how to survive in the harshest of circumstances. Of course, it was not the tale of her survival and mission that had interested the other girl. It was _who_ she had seen out in the valley, the one person she had been avoiding for so long.

Taya was…understandably curious.

Her large blue eyes widened, as she sat down on the floor of Avaryss chambers. Avaryss tried to project an aura of calm, sitting on her bed with a food tray on her lap. Taya looked up at her ally like she was about to hold court or something. She looked upon Avaryss in amazement, like she had sacked the Jedi Temple single handed or something.

The Acolyte rolled her eyes.

 _She had_ _ **needed**_ _to tell someone, hoped that by talking about it, she would be able to center herself._

It seemed like that wasn't the case.

"What **happened** ," the other girl almost gasped, "What did _he_ say to you? What did **you** say back? Was it cordial, or did he threaten you? Damn it woman, I need details?"

Avaryss suppressed a chuckle.

Almost a month had passed since Fehl came to her aid in the dueling ring. In that time, he had said nothing to her, offered no explanation choosing to remain aloof and mysterious. When they trained he remained on the other side of the room. Whenever the acolytes were called together, he left before she could speak with him.

It annoyed the young acolyte; she did not like such games. It seemed the only way she ever got to see the academy's top student was when he was walking away. She felt slighted, yes, but in her darker moments she admitted to no one but herself that she did admire the view.

Fehl was handsome, she could not deny that, pretty much all of the other female acolytes on Korriban had taken notice, most desired him, but none seemed to draw his attention.

Avaryss could not say what had made her so special that first day. Whatever it was, it seemed to have passed.

Fehl held the spot they all aspired to, it would not be easy for one of the other acolytes to claim it.

Nass had come to share Avaryss' initial opinion that the academy's top student had only stepped in to _intimidate_ a rival. That he wished to show his superiority to _the Hero of Butcher's Clearing_. Taya had come to a different conclusion, she had been pushing Avaryss to try and speak with the pure blood for weeks, find out what had made him so willing to step down from the pedestal that the overseers put him on, and aid a fellow Acolyte.

She had taken more than an interest in Avaryss' life; she was obsessed with finding out what had happened.

Normally, the Acolyte would be annoyed by such a demand, she was not Taya's servant; her life was no source of amusement. She had no reason to tell her what happened, but at the same time, she had come to enjoy the other girl's company, welcome their comradery.

She sighed.

It was not easy having a friend when you were in the Sith Order.

Of course, there was no reason not to have a little fun first.

She gave her friend, and ally, a smug smile.

"What makes you think we said anything?" she asked.

Taya pouted.

"Come on Avy, don't be like that. I know _something_ must have passed between you. I can sense your emotions; they are all over the place. Come on, you can't just drop a bomb like that and not expect me to be curious."

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

Dropped a bomb?

Her encounter with Fehl was _hardly_ a bomb. Taya's imagination was running away with her.

She really needed to find some handsome male, convince him to take an interest in Taya; it should not be that hard.

Then perhaps the other girl would focus on something besides what was happening with her friend.

Avaryss could definitely have used the privacy.

"Please," Taya said excitedly, "Start at the beginning."

The Acolyte sighed.

"Very well, but I doubt you will find it interesting.

Taya almost giggled with excitement, she sat there quivering, eager to hear the tale.

Avaryss shook her head.

The things that she did for friendship.

IOI

The day had started simply enough. Morning meal, saber training, and then an hour in the library, when Avaryss had received word that Overseer Tremel wished to speak with her she headed to his office with neither fear nor hesitation. In the few short weeks she had been here, her hopes regarding the libraries here on Korriban had been proven correct. She had just been reading a treatise on the History of the Krath of the Empress Teta system when she had been summoned.

What she had read intrigued her greatly.

The Krath had been a group of spoiled nobles who had learned secrets collected by the Sith Lord Freedon Nadd; those secrets had turned them all into extremely powerful sorcerers. Though their order had disbanded with the defeat of Exar Kun, some did manage to live long enough to bring their teachings back to the Sith.

Avaryss had already discovered several new spells hidden among their writings. She was eager to begin testing those spells. Tremel's mission would give her a chance to do just that.

"The Dark Council is currently on Korriban, though they remain in seclusion as they convene, I did receive several requests before they began their meeting. There are certain texts that the Dark Lords wish to examine. They have trusted me with recovering recordings of those texts."

He gave her a cruel smile.

"I'm allowing you the opportunity to prove yourself, acolyte. You will enter the Valley of the Dark Lords and make recordings of some of these texts. They are inscribed on the walls of several tombs. You will seek out each tomb and bring back what you discover."

"It will be done, Overseer," she said bowing, "It will be my pleasure."

"Be warned," he said, "Many threats await the unwary. Proceed quickly, yet carefully, I shall await your return."

She nodded and turned.

"One last thing, Acolyte."

She paused, turning to meet his gaze.

"This trial is for you and you alone. Do not seek to gather your allies; it is you that is being tested today. I would be most displeased if I discovered otherwise."

"As you say," she said, she would not disobey him, not in this.

It would feel strange to go hunting without Nass and Taya, but as the Overseer said, this was not _**their**_ trial.

She gathered a few supplies and struck out; Tremel had provided her with a miniature holo-map of the Valley, marking off the tombs she needed to explore. The journey would likely take most of the day, but it would be the first step in proving her worth, not only to Tremel, but the hopefully, whichever Dark Council member had requested these texts.

She was eager to present them to the masters. She wanted to gain both their attention and favor.

This task offered her the chance to do both.

The journey to the valley took little time, her excitement, and eagerness to succeed sped her along on this quest.

Soon she stood before the great tombs of the Dark Lords of the past. The Valley stretched out before her, its might statues and monuments worn by both time and weather, the place still radiated with a sense of dark power, power and opportunity.

The wind came up; it's whistling cry like the whimper of an abandoned child.

She shivered.

To the unenlightened, the Valley of the Dark Lords might be seen as a place to be feared, that a sense of malice hung over these tombs, to her nothing could be farther from the truth.

Danger and power were close cousins. One could not gain true power without facing risk, without risk; after all, there was no reward.

She drew her war blade, once again grateful for Master Adaz' gift she reached out with her senses trying to locate any threats before they drew too close.

All she felt was dark power, that and the history that had drawn so many to these foreboding tombs.

She thought of the lords of the past. She thought of Marka Ragnos, Ludo Kressh, Tulak Hord, and Naga Sadow, the names of the ancients that had carved the Legacy of the Sith into the very stones of this world.

She thought of the Republic spies, the criminals Gav and Jori Daragon. It was through their treachery that the Golden Age of the Sith had ended. Gav Daragon had manipulated Naga Sadow, or so the history books had claimed. He convinced the Dark Lord that he was loyal only to betray him when the Sith finally marched on the Republic.

Even so many centuries later, the tale filled Avaryss with anger and hate. Some historians believed that Gav Daragon had always been a double agent, that the cowardly Jedi had used the spies to draw the Sith out of hiding. If that was indeed the case, then the spy had done his job spectacularly.

The Sith Holocaust that came after Naga Sadow's defeat had nearly crippled the Empire. If not for the courage and wisdom of the Emperor, the Sith people may have passed into nothingness.

Still, despite the Emperor's leadership, the Sith had suffered greatly, the pure blood Sith species had died by the millions if not billions. When the few survivors finally came to find safety and sanctuary on Dromund Kaas they had been more than fortunate.

Surely the Force had been with them that day.

She also thought of Exar Kun, the Jedi warrior who had risen to the dark side and declared himself a Dark Lord of the Sith. According to writings and histories, Exar Kun had been seduced by ghosts of the old Sith Masters. They had convinced him to cast off the light, and try to undo the crimes committed by the Jedi a millennia earlier.

She shook her head.

If only Kun had succeeded. If he had, he would have found his Emperor waiting to welcome him with open arms; he would have been embraced by the true empire as a hero, and savior.

Yet, that had not happened; Kun had been defeated, betrayed by his own apprentice, a fool who, according to histories, had not had the strength of his convictions that he had fallen to the light after killing a former ally.

Avaryss sneered.

Such weakness disgusted her.

Kun had offered the man power, and he had turned his back on it.

The coward.

The fool.

 _The light can be most seductive_ , one of the papers she had read had said _, it offers the promise of redemption and a world without fear._

 _It is a_ _ **trap,**_ _an_ _ **illusion.**_

 _It must be avoided at all costs._

Seeing the Valley, knowing how the Jedi and their allies had pillaged it for centuries before the Empire's return. The mere thought filled her with both anger and sadness.

They had no right to plunder this place.

It is ours.

She proceeded then, without further thought. There would be time to reflect later, right now she had task to perform. She needed to find those tombs, find the writings on the walls, and return with the copies to Overseer Tremel.

She would do this to take her next step in finally becoming Sith.

All would come to see her value, and in seeing it, would know that she could serve them and the Empire far better than any other Acolyte.

One of the masters would come to see that, and would take her as an apprentice.

It would happen, she knew it, and it all would start here.

Her heart beat excitedly as she made her way to the first tomb.

It would all start here.

The first tomb had been breached easily enough; she had encountered a shyrack nest, but Force lightning proved more than up to the task of dealing with the predators.

The second tomb was infested with not only k'lor slugs, but failed students as well. They threw themselves at her maddened by both fear and hunger. She cut them down with her war blade, the few surviving slugs feasted on the bodies of the slain while she made recordings of the texts she had been sent for. Unlike most of the decorations she had seen, these remained visible, and plain to the naked eye. She had no trouble making copies; she even recognized some of the words.

What she read…intrigued her.

She had promised these texts to the masters, that was true, but that did not mean that she could not make a copy of her copy. She could study these writings herself later.

The thought of such rebellion made her tremble with excitement. Tremel had said nothing about her _**not** _keeping a copy for herself.

She grinned.

Better to ask forgiveness than permission.

She would do it.

She would keep a copy for herself.

The last writing, proved the most difficult to get, it was in the bowels of a tomb that had all but collapsed from both wear and time. Three times she had to squeeze herself through half collapsed passages, and each time she stopped warily, listening for any sound of shifting rock.

She had no desire to be buried here.

There was still too much for her to do before she could be laid to rest on this world.

When I do end, she thought, it will be as a lord, feared and respected.

The Sith will honor me, that is what I expect.

She finally reached the chamber where the finally writings had been left. She pulled out her recording device and got to work. She shivered as she waited for the device to complete its work.

Her eyes narrowed; there was something down here with her, something powerful.

She could feel it.

She reached out with her senses, letting the dark side flow. As she reached out, she saw a glow off in one corner, a light shimmer of purple light that caught her eye.

She followed it eager to see what it was.

The skeleton leaned against a broken pillar, its once fine robes merely tattered rags now. Once this being may have been powerful, now it was merely dust and bones.

She licked her lips, hungrily.

The amulet around the corpse's neck however, that was something special.

She reached out with the Force, eager to retrieve it. It sang to her in a voice only a Sith could understand.

It was hers, she knew, she would have it.

The amulet began to rise; it started to float of the skeletons neck, and…

A bony hand reached out stopping it. The skull turned, its empty eye sockets found her, found her and glowed a deep red.

Avaryss backed up, entering a fighting stance.

The amulet glowed brightly, all around her skeletons of the failed grave robbers began to rise, what had first brought them to this tomb she could not say.

It did not matter; they wished her to join them, to become part of their rotting band.

She would not go quietly.

"Cute," she said to the Sith skeleton, "But I can do cute too, you will _**seeeEEEEEEEE!"**_

Avaryss threw back her head and howled.

Force scream was an ability she had read about during her time on Fury 9. She had never attempted it there; she had been too worried about harming her fellow hopefuls.

She no longer suffered from that weakness, and even if she did, these skeletons were not allies; they were a hindrance, stones in her path.

She would not be stopped.

The tomb shook from the sonic force, several of the skeletons shattered under the sonic onslaught, but more continued to rise.

She ceased the spell and drew her war blade.

"Fine," she thought, "we do this the hard way."

Her blade crackled with dark side energy as she leapt at the skeletons, cutting them down with fierce spinning strikes. The things shattered, dust filled the air as she wove her way through them seeking out the one that had awakened them.

The Sith Skeleton stepped back, it raised a bony a hand, flinging lightning in her path.

She caught the attack on her blade, letting the energy flow into her. She was about to fire a blast of her own, when bony hands seized her from behind.

More skeletons had risen in her wake, the tips of their fingers were like claws they dug into her arms. She struggled against them, but…

The lead skeleton, the one with the amulet raised his hand, another blast of lightning crackled towards her.

She tried to fall back, but was unable to. The lightning struck her in the chest, making her cry out in pain.

It might have ended there, she likely would have joined the corpses had another not chose to intervene.

She felt the dark side roar in her ears, that roar rushed past her like a tidal wave.

It tore the amulet from the lead skeleton's neck, the head snapped off, as the chain tore through it. Now headless, the body staggered around drunkenly.

Drawing on her pain, Avaryss shrieked again, the skeletons holding her fell away, blasted to dust by her rage. She brought up her sword and carved what was left of the lead skeleton in two. The bones fell apart, scattering over the ground.

A shuddering breath escaped her lips.

She had won, but it was not over yet, there were skeletons still standing, reaching for her trying to attack. She lashed out at them furiously, and she was not alone.

 **"What in the name of the Emperor are you doing here!" she demanded.**

Fehl chuckled as he flung a skeleton into a wall with the Force.

"It is commonly called helping," he said, "You are welcome, by the way."

She snarled angrily.

 _How dare he_ , she thought, _had he followed her down here? Was he trying to steal her prize?_

She would not let that happen, this was her trial, not his, _**hers.**_

She would be damned if he would steal her glory.

Despite her anger at his interference, the two worked strangely well together. They could almost anticipate the other's moves. When she blocked, he would strike, when he caught one of their enemy in a Force grip, she finished it off with a strike from her war blade.

Between the two of them they made short work of the skeletons, soon, only silence remained in the tomb, that and the sound of the two acolytes' breathing.

Heavily breathing.

They found themselves looking into each other's eyes. Avaryss' were blue fire. Fehl's were molten gold.

When their shoulders brushed, she felt a wave of electricity go through her, a heat that burned low in her gut and made her whole body warm.

She shook her head, trying to clear it.

She glared at the large pure blood.

He had not answered her question.

"You helped me again," she said.

"Yes," he replied politely.

"Why?"

Fehl chuckled.

"Does a male need a reason to come to the aid of a _beautiful_ Sith? You were outnumbered, and on the verge of death."

He grinned at her.

"Helping you was the least I could do."

Her eyes narrowed, his voice dripped with cruel arrogance. His every breath suggested danger, but at the same time…

She swallowed hard.

 _Beautiful_ , he…he had called her…he thought her **beautiful?**

She shivered.

 _Don't fall for it,_ the dark voice within said; _he is trying to manipulate you._

Be strong.

She took a deep breath, and centered herself.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked, "Recording texts?"

"Oh no," he said with a smile, "Harkun sent me; one of the councilors wanted this."

He held out an item for her to see. Her breath caught in her throat.

It was a holocron!

"Not sure which lord wants it," he said conversationally, "And in all truth, I really don't care."

He smirked.

"All that matters is it is mine."

She licked her lips, weighing her options. She had been sent here for the texts, if she gained possession of that holocron, no one needed to know."

Could she take it? Did she stand a chance against Fehl?

She was not sure.

Did she truly wish to find out?

He placed the crystal cube back into his pack, if he sensed her desire, he did not show it.

"I never got the chance to introduce myself, before," he said, "My name is Fehl, in case you are wondering."

She glared at him.

"I know who you are. You are the overseers' pet."

He chuckled.

"You say that like it is a bad thing, and you are?"

She snorted angrily.

"My name is Avaryss, as you no doubt already knew."

"True," he nodded, "But niceties must be maintained, especially between Sith, or rather soon to be Sith."

She continued to glare at him, unsure what to make of this. They had found themselves in the same tomb with powerful artifacts up for grabs, normally when that happened between two Sith, only one ended up leaving alive.

So far, that had not happened.

She was not sure why.

"When I first got here, you protected me from Harkun, and his pet Ulgar."

"So I did."

"Why?"

He shook his head.

"I thought we already covered that."

"No, we covered why you helped me here. Why did you help me with Ulgar, you didn't even know me."

He gave her a sly grin.

"I didn't know you, that was true, but I had heard of your exploits. When I killed that fool Ghuur, Tremel tried to bring me into his confidence, to make me his. He told me about this girl from Fury academies. No power base, no family to speak up, but with the potential to be something special."

His grin widened.

He moved in closer, her blade was drawn, but out of position. She could feel the heat of the dark side radiating off of him, smell the exotic scent of pure blood skin and sweat.

It made her weak in the knees; he was so close now; would he try to touch her?

She resisted the urge to shiver.

 _Please,_ a new voice within her murmured.

 _Please touch me._

He never stopped smiling; she tried not to back down, but suspected he knew what kind of effect he was having on her.

Her mouth felt as dry as a desert, he towered over her; she felt both strong and weak at the same time.

"I think that Tremel wished for us to be rivals. I think he wanted me to destroy you to prove my superiority. I will be honest, I had been considering it, but then I saw you duel Ulgar, and what that fool Harkun pulled.

He shook his head.

It was unworthy of you."

"You wanted me to kill Ulgar?"

"I wanted to see you _fight_. Had Harkun let the duel go to its conclusion you would have won. Ulgar was no match for you. When Harkun stepped in, and you were injured, I was angry; he stole my chance to see what you could truly do."

His smile turned cruel.

"He deserved to be punished, they **both** did. I couldn't hurt Harkun, but that did not mean that I couldn't put his fool-pet in the medical room."

Her eyes narrowed.

"So now I've satisfied your curiosity?"

"Actually," he chuckled, "You have only just **whetted** my appetite. I hope to see more."

She moved in closer, trying to stand nose to nose with him.

"You're trying to _intimidate_ me?"

She might be wrong, it was hard to see in the dim light, but she thought his crimson skin darkened as she drew closer, could feel her breath on his neck.

"This is not about intimidation."

"Then what is it?"

"To be perfectly honest," he said with a slightly nervous laugh.

"I'm trying to _interest_ you."

She blinked unable to respond, not sure how to respond.

He held out his hand, the amulet she had sought was there, he was offering it to her.

"This is yours, I believe.

She reached out to take it, their fingers brushed.

She gasped, and staggered back.

His touch was electric, filled with emotion, curiosity, heat…

She swallowed hard.

 _ **Lust.**_

She briefly had seen something when they had touched. A vision of the two of them, wrapped in the most intimate of embraces, nothing between their bodies but the Force and a wave of desire. Desire in serious need of being sated.

She shook her head.

 _Emperor save_ me, she thought.

She looked up grinning at him.

 _ **Wow!**_

He smirked.

"A taste of things to come, fair one," he said bowing slightly, "Until next time."

He jumped straight up, she saw the ledge on which he landed, it must have led up into one of the higher levels of the tomb, she had thought all those blocked off she…

And like that...he was gone.

She shuddered looking down at amulet that had nearly been her death. She found herself lost, confused.

We are all rivals here, she thought.

What Fehl offered, what he wanted, it did not make sense?"

None of this made sense.

She was breathing heavily, the images that had filled her when they touched had awoken something in her; something she had not known was there until this moment.

She…she was not sure what to make of it she was not sure that she liked it, and had no idea what to do with it.

She noticed a pinging sound at her feet, the recording device she had been using had finished its work. She quickly collected the device, and set off, back the way she had come.

Tremel still needed these texts.

She would make sure he got them.

IOI

"That's it?" Taya asked.

"That is it," Avaryss shrugged, she was still trying to make sense of all this.

She had told Taya the truth, but not all of it; she left out everything about the flash when their hands touched.

She did not wish her ally to get the wrong idea.

"So he saved your life, again."

"So it seems," she nodded.

The blond acolyte nodded.

"He could be lying," Avaryss reminded her.

"He could, but he also may not be."

Avaryss snarled angrily.

"What does it matter? I can't afford to get sidetracked, Tay. I have plans, plans that I must see through."

The blond laughed lightly.

"My mum always says that life is what happens while you are making plans, and it always messes them up. She would also say that the Force has put you and Fehl on the same path for a reason. You are simply going to have to figure out what that reason is."

Avaryss shook her head.

She did not like to think that the Force had that much sway over her life. She and Fehl were definitely on a collision course, of sorts, sooner or later, they would reach the point of no return.

She sighed.

She was not sure she was ready to face what happened when they did.

An enemy she could deal with, this was something different, _**entirely**_ different.

For once she had no idea what do to do.

She and Fehl weren't done. They would likely meet again, alone, and when they did…

…that would be a very interesting day…

…Very interesting indeed.


	28. Justice

**Chapter 28: Justice**

"Please! I…I didn't do anything!"

Avaryss frowned as she regarded the young man strapped to the interrogation table. She knew how cold an uncomfortable such tables, were, she remembered well waking up on one herself less than a year ago.

It seemed so distant now, that time, that girl, like it had happened to someone else, to a stranger living a different life.

Perhaps that was better, perhaps that was the way she should look at it now.

She smiled and looked down at her pad, reading the report that Inquisitor Zyn had received.

Acolyte…Parck…is that right? Is that how I pronounce your name? I wish to be thorough here?"

The man swallowed hard, afraid he was, but he still nodded.

She returned the nod, if in thanks if nothing else.

Best they got started with right answers from the beginning.

She glanced over at the Inquisitor; the portly Sith in the cobalt blue armor was at the monitoring stations, keeping an eye on the Parck's life signs, just in case.

He did not need to, she thought.

She _knew_ what was expected of her, she **knew** when to stop.

"I want you to explain to me, in your own words, what happened, Parck. Tell me about the vials we discovered in your room."

The man blinked and looked away, even if the Force was not with her, she would know the Acolyte was about to lie to her.

"I…I don't know what you are talking about? What vials?"

She paused, her smile fell away.

"Are you going to tell me that you know nothing? That you willingly took such substances into your chamber without knowing what it was?"

"I said I don't know what you are talking about. Please, let me go! I did not do anything!"

She sighed…

…So much for keeping things cordial.

"Liar," she murmured raising her hand.

Force lightning exploded from her fingertips, striking the metal table, and flowing into the Acolyte's body...

The prisoner cried out in pain!

"Stop," he gasped as she relented, "Please…please…Don't do that again!"

"What? This?" she blasted him again, his cries echoing off the chamber, no doubt being heard all the way down the hall through the open door.

She stopped, watching him gasping for breath, whimpering from the pain.

She gave him a gentle smile.

"Why should I stop? We are just starting to have fun!"

"Acolyte," the word came from the Inquisitor, his expression was nervous. He clearly saw something he did not like with the young man's life signs.

He need not have worried. She knew when to stop.

This trial was as much about her as it was about the man strapped to the table.

"Let us start again," she said pacing before the prisoner. "Two nights ago, one of the dark lord's apprentices was admitted to the medical wing, complaining of chest and stomach pains, he died a few hours later. Examination by the medical droids determined that the apprentice had ingested a fatal dose of a very rare toxin. As a result, Overseer Tremel ordered that a thorough search be carried out, to not only find the culprit but to make sure that no more unauthorized deaths occurred within the Academy."

She leaned in close; she wanted the young man to be absolutely sure how serious she was taking this matter.

"We found vials of the toxin in your room. The door was locked and the holo-cams recorded no one but you going in or out. Given that evidence, I think it is safe to say Acolyte Parck…things are not looking very good for you right now."

"I...I didn't," he wheezed, "I…I did not poison anyone."

"The evidence would suggest otherwise," she said matter of factly, "What happened, did the apprentice say something to you in the hall way, or was this some kind of rivalry, were you trying to impress some lord, or simply eliminate that young man in a bid to become his lord's new apprentice."

She shook her head.

"You are aware that it doesn't work like that."

"Didn't…didn't know what was in the vials. I was asked…asked to hold onto them."

She leaned in closer.

"By who?"

"Can't…can't say…he…he will kill me."

Avaryss snorted and stepped away.

"What do you think the boy's master will do when he finds out, provided you manage to leave this room alive."

She shook her head.

"I would not wish to be in your shoes, Parck. The dead apprentice knew powerful people."

She looked down at the pad, again, going through Acolyte Parck's history.

She was not impressed.

He came from a reasonably well-off family on Dromund Kaas. Their wealth and prestige was just enough to get their son admitted to Korriban without having to pass through one of the lower level Academies. She read the instructors reports on him; he was nothing special; he had just enough talent with the Force to remain in the running to be Sith. Nothing had happened because of his family name. According to this, he had not even had his off world trials yet, and he had been here almost a year and a half. Such lack of progress should have been addressed, but given whom he was, and who his family was, he had been spared…

…At least until now.

Her eyes narrowed.

When she thought of her time on Fury 9 and then on Butcher's Clearing, she had no sympathy for this Acolyte, he should have been weeded out months ago.

I've had to fight and scrounge for everything I've gained, and this one slips by because of who his parents were. It was a grave injustice, it was unfair, but as she had learned early on.

Little among the Sith was about being fair.

Order needed to be maintained however, which meant that someone had to get the blame when things went wrong.

Today, someone had decided that it would be Acolyte Parck.

She found herself thinking back to Oridanna. Andur Lylos had believed that justice could only be found by weighing all the evidence carefully. He had never been a man who believed in snap decisions and quick judgment. Those who he had served and protected had come to trust his decisions; he was never rash or overtly unfair.

In the Empire, as a whole, Avaryss had come to realize, that was not always the case. The power games of the Sith often colored the judgment that its people received. They did not know enough about their masters to avoid being caught up in such judgments, and often paid the price. Andur Lylos would never have agreed. He would have argued for a greater defense of justice. He would have argued that the masters needed to do better, to be better, or he would have if he had had the courage to complain.

She smiled, the naivety of her father, surprised her now.

His daughter had come to know better.

"Whoever you are protecting is unworthy of it," she informed the prisoner, "You think that one of them is going to step up and take the blame?"

"Shouldn't be here," he whimpered, "No one saw me do anything. Academy rules…rules state that if there is no witness there is no murder."

She gave him a shark-like grin.

"Evidence can be its own witness. Besides, you were foolish not to dispose of those vials. Had you not kept them in your room to be discovered you would not be here. You should have had the cunning to protect yourself, stupidity is **not** rewarded."

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I will ask again, for the last time. _**Who**_ gave you those vials to hide?"

The man remained silent; he had tears in his eyes, but refused to answer.

Avaryss looked back at Zyn; the Inquisitor was shaking his head, clearly not pleased, both with the boy's resistance, and Avaryss' inability to get answers.

She glared at the prisoner; he was making her look bad.

She could not allow that to continue. So…she did not.

She placed a hand on his chest, her touch was light; he glanced up unsure what she was doing.

She murmured a spell under her breath, a familiar one, one she had used many times before.

The young man gasped, his entire body convulsed.

"Acolyte," Zyn gasped.

"It is fine, Inquisitor," she soothed.

"Just let me work."

The man fought against his bonds, he looked down to see the orange light blazing in the palm of his interrogator's hand.

His eyes were wide with horror.

She smiled and stepped away, the glow ceased.

He sank back onto the table, having trouble breathing.

"What…what did you do to me!?"

She chuckled.

"I took off a few days of your life," she said checking her nails for dirt. It was a lie of course, she was not that skilled with life drain to no how much life she took, but he did not need to know that.

She grinned.

"Shall we go for a month? How about a year, we will see how well you feel then?"

His eyes bulged as he struggled against his bonds.

Avaryss moved forward, a predator on the hunt.

"Shall we continue?"

"STOP!" he cried out, "NO MORE! I…I will tell you everything!"

She grinned triumphantly.

"The name," she said, "NOW!"

"Telbris," he said shaking, "Acolyte Telbris, he…he was angry that the Dark Lord didn't choose him. He wanted revenge."

The young man sobbed.

"I didn't know what was in the vials, I swear on the name of the Emperor I didn't know."

Avaryss smiled and stepped up to him.

"It is okay," she murmured, "You did the right thing.

She bowed gratefully.

"We will take it from here."

The man sank back against the table whimpering about being killed.

Avaryss dusted herself off and turned back to Zyn.

The Inquisitor was typing something on the panel; she went over to see what he was doing.

"I take it you heard?" she said.

"I did indeed," the Inquisitor said shaking his head, "I must say this is certainly quite awkward, quite awkward indeed."

Her brow furrowed.

"What makes you say that?

He chuckled.

"Acolyte Telbris is no longer here. The late apprentice's lord just confirmed him as his new apprentice yesterday."

Zyn shook his head.

"As I said, most awkward.

Avaryss frowned.

"So what are you going to do? Are we going to contact the dark lord, let him know that his new apprentice murdered his old one?"

"What would be the point?" Zyn shrugged.

Avaryss looked aghast.

"Um… _justice_ , such a murder cannot be tolerated, Overseer Tremel will not be pleased, or be willing to accept, without someone to punish."

"Ah, but we have someone to punish," the Inquisitor said pointing to the sobbing acolyte.

Avaryss paled.

"But he didn't do it," she said.

"He hid the vials," Zyn reminded her.

"That is _**not**_ murder."

"True" he nodded, "but as you told young Parck, stupidity cannot be tolerated, he should never have agreed to hide those vials for Telbris."

The older Sith shook his head.

"Telbris covered his tracks, and was smart enough to leave us a scapegoat, a master stroke if I've ever heard one. His new master would be proud."

"What about the dead boy's family, they may not be happy if we do not see justice done?"

They will have word of Parck's execution, which should be enough to satisfy them."

Avaryss shuddered.

She understood the Sith teachings, but still…still…

…This young man had done nothing!

He was a fool, but did he deserve to die for that?

If Zyn sensed that she was uncomfortable with this, he did not show it. He smiled at her, pleased with her performance.

"I must say, child, your command of Sith death magic is inspiring, so few of the new guard practice the old art. It is good to know that at least some of our young people are keeping the old ways alive."

Avaryss winced.

"Thank you, Inquisitor."

She frowned as she looked at the young man on the table. She licked her lips as her stomach twisted.

Leave it alone, the dark voice within said.

What happens next does not concern you.

Still she was angry, if this had all be decided in advance, what was the point of the interrogation?

Why did they simply not take Parck outside and execute him?

"Will he suffer?" she asked.

"I see no reason for that," Zyn shrugged, "A simple injection will suffice.

He gave her a cool look.

"Why? Do you think he should suffer?!"

She glared, only just holding her anger in check.

"I object to having my time wasted," she spat, "If this man was to die anyway, why bother with the interrogation?"

The inquisitor gave her a pleasant smile.

"Because you needed to be tested, do not think for a moment that you will not be rewarded for coming to the truth so quickly."

But the real murderer escaped," she reminded him.

"Did he, well, keep in mind Acolyte that he now travels with a man who had put both time and effort into the training of his victim. Things have a way of coming out eventually, and when they finally do, Telbris may come to regret his actions these last few days, provided he lives long enough to regret them."

Avaryss considered that.

It would be a justice of sorts she supposed.

Still it did not take away that she felt…confused by this outcome.

She frowned.

Confusion seemed to be the one constant for her since coming to Korriban. She had expected to arrive a hero, but things were moving down a different path, and far more treacherous than she could have imagined.

Stop it, the dark voice within said, do not seek to undermine what you accomplished this day. Tremel will be pleased, a murderer will be punished, and you get to rebuild some of your damaged reputation. Harkun damaged you with his little game when you arrived.

Now, at least, you are taking steps forward again.

That is what matters. It is all that matters.

She smiled and bowed.

"Thank you for this opportunity, Inquisitor," she said humbly, "It has been a pleasure to work with you."

"Your welcome, Acolyte," he replied, happily, "It has been a pleasure watching you work, I'm sure I will hear more about you in the future."

She smiled basking in her compliment.

"May the Force serve you well," she said.

"And to you as well, young one."

Avaryss turned and left the Interrogation room, she did not waste another moment looking on the whimpering Parck.

He is done, dead, forget about him. You have your own future to worry about. You…

She heard a loud gasp; a brief tremor in the Force stopped her cold.

She shuddered.

When she drained life energy from someone, it left an echo, a connection of sorts for a short time.

She had felt that connection severed. Zyn had carried out his duty.

She glanced back; a shiver ran down her spine.

Justice, she thought morosely, Sith justice.

It was not perfect, but then again, only the Emperor was.

She sighed and took a deep breath.

She needed to report to Tremel before evening meal, not that she was feeling very hungry at that moment.

Why is this effecting me so, the boy was nothing to me, he was not an ally, or a friend, he was nothing. He was of no consequence what so ever to my continued training.

She steeled her nerve and straightened her back.

Guilt was wasted on such filth. She would not let his end ruin her accomplishment. She was slowly making her way up the hierarchy of the academy. Her success was a good thing.

She would seek out Nass and Taya; continue planning their next successful move. The girls needed to decide who they should target if they wish to continue their rise here.

Only one person truly stood in their way, and she was not entirely sure exactly where he stood yet.

Fehl.

She sighed.

She needed to do something. She could not even look upon him without feeling self-conscious, remembering that vision within the tomb.

Her feelings and desires were at war. She wanted to become Sith, but at the same time…Fehl…he…he…

She shivered.

She was not sure what she wanted with him yet, was he a rival, or something else?

One thing was for certain, she needed to remain on guard.

If she was not careful, she might find herself on Zyn's interrogation table.

That thought was not pleasant.

She needed to be careful.

Her enemies were all around her. She had two choices, grow stronger, or get dead.

She had no intention of doing the latter.

I simply have to grow stronger, grow stronger and forget about the past.

What her father had taught her was worthless here.

There was only one law here, the law of the Sith.

Justice…was an illusion

Only power mattered here.

She needed to find more.


	29. Knowledge and Rumor

**Chapter 29: Knowledge and Rumor**

 _She floated between sleep and the waking world, her body suffused with dark power; it stirred her blood and made her heart pound._

" _Our ways are beyond the ways of others; let the less talented wallow in the mud. You are special, god-like…"_

 _The voice chuckled._

" _Use your power; embrace it, and everything you desire will be yours."_

Avaryss giggled, lost in a vision of the past, or perhaps what may one day be again. Her blue eyes glowed with a fierce red light, as lessons of the past filled her mind, awakening her to **new** possibilities.

The young acolyte did not let herself drown in that power, she rode the wave of it, towards a greater understanding, new secrets were opening to her, secrets that only one skilled in the ancient arts of Sith Sorcery would understand.

It was a heady feeling, those teachings, they flowed into, all in a jumble, but slowly, surely, her mind would order them once again, they would make sense, and when they did…

This knowledge would be hers to command.

So much knowledge at her fingertips, so many lessons, spells, and rituals, she had no time to process it, but that was okay.

The holocron was programed to see her through.

IOI

This session had been a reward from Tremel, by choosing to side with him, the overseer began to open new doors for her. He had access to artifacts and papers the she would never have been able to get on her own. When he had offered her a chance to study from one of the ancient holocrons, she had jumped at the chance.

"You will have an hour session with the device," Tremel had promised her, make good use of your time, do not simply sit there staring at it, access it quickly, and absorb as much as you can.

He had grinned then.

You will find the wisdom of the ancients, most… _enlightening._

She journeyed to the library where one of the record keepers was waiting, a slender, pure blood Sith female. The woman sat the small crystal pyramid down before her.

"This is the Holocron of Lord Simus," the pure blood keeper informed her, "He was a very talented Sith Sorcerer, and so powerful that he was actually able to keep his mind functional for almost a century after physical death."

Her expression turned serious.

"You have one hour to explore its mysteries."

She stepped back and let Avaryss take position before it.

The young acolyte's eyes widened with hunger.

She had never been **this** close to a holocron before; the one she had seen during her time on Fury 9 had been under constant lock and key.

She found herself wondering whose holocron it had been. Was it a family heirloom of Phylon's or had he claimed it after some power game?

She looked up, realizing the pure blood was staring at her. She cursed herself for being a fool.

 _Her time with this device was_ _ **limited.**_

 _She had best make use of it._

She took a deep breath and cleared her mind, using the Force; she reached out to the holocron, activating it.

The artifact began to glow crimson, the light bathed her skin, her eyes widened, drinking it in. Before her appeared the image of a powerful and distinguished looking pure blood. The holographic representation of the ancient lord looked upon her with cool interest.

"I am Simus, Lord of the Sith and rival to Marka Ragnos," the hologram said, "What is it you desire, student?"

She licked her lips, nervously, suddenly her throat felt very dry.

So much knowledge at her fingertips…

…where ever was she to start?

"I…I am in interested in the secrets of Sith sorcery, my lord," she said bowing her head in submission, "It is said that you knew much, and possessed many of our most powerful secrets."

She smiled hungrily.

"Tell me _**everything.**_ "

The holographic lord cackled.

"You are not the first to make such a request, nor shall you be the last. There is much and more that I could show you, but are you worthy of such secrets, could you handle them?"

The image of the dark lord changed.

No longer did Lord Simus stand before her, in his stead was a short brutish looked slave, in his hands he held a small golden container, its crystal surface protecting a strange mist like atmosphere.

Avaryss gasped.

Within it, protected by this shell, was a head. It was similar in shape to dark lord's but appeared withered, and misshapened.

"Behold," Simus' voice emerged from the crystal casket. "See the price that I paid to survive my final duel with Marka Ragnos. I was strong enough to survive, but became a shadow of my former self. Know that all power has its price, student. This was mine, but it did allow me to continue to serve and rule the Empire."

A hissing sound emerged; she assumed that it was what was left of the dark lord laughing.

"You shall have a taste of what you seek. Use it well, and prevail, and…perhaps we shall speak again one day. Perhaps then you shall be ready for more of what I have to offer."

The crimson glow around her intensified, she tried to look away, but could not move; her eyes were drawn into the holocron, it and this holographic representation of its master and creator.

The world spun, her mind filled with spells and rituals, some so terrifying that she could barely look at what was called for to carry them out, and still more secrets came.

Her mind filled with answers, before truly being able to ask the questions.

She felt like she was slipping away, falling.

It was then that she found herself at her final destination.

She found herself standing in a beautiful garden, a garden built onto the terrace of a great golden palace. She looked down at herself, no longer was she dressed in the garb of an acolyte, but in fine silken robes, and robes fit for a queen or a goddess.

As she made her way through the garden she looked down and saw crimson skinned slaves bowing in her wake. They averted their gaze as she passed by, unworthy to behold her magnificence.

The feeling of it, knowing that she was worshipped, she enjoyed the sensation. It felt right; it felt like it was her due.

The exiled Jedi that had come to Korriban all those years ago had been treated as gods, why shouldn't she, who was a descendant of their great power, be worshipped as well.

Wasn't that what a Lord of the Sith deserved?

Wasn't that what she deserved?

She entered her lavish quarters, quarters that only a dark lord could have enjoyed, and there…waiting for her arrival…

…stood Fehl.

The sight of him stopped her in her tracks.

Like her, he was also dressed in the finery of the ancient Sith, his strong arms and bare chest hardly covered by the simple clothes of their ancestors.

She tried to speak, to address him, but found herself mute, apparently this was part of the journey that she simply had to sit back and enjoy the ride.

The ancient version of herself stepped forward, Fehl stood before her, unyielding, and his golden eyes met hers with a look of cool competence and strength.

Her body warmed, that strength, that willingness to not simply bow down intrigued her, excited her.

She could not help herself. She couldn't fight it anymore!

She touched his handsome face, her fingers lightly caressing his strong jaw.

He grabbed her pulling her into his arms, he held her in his iron grip, confining, yet at the same time, gentle, almost worshipful.

Their lips met.

She resisted, at first, but then melted against him, enjoying his strength, through the Force she felt only desire…desire quickly shifting into a burning sense of lust.

She gave in without any further resistance.

He picked her up like she weighed nothing, she giggled as he nuzzled her neck, playfully nipping at her skin. There was pain, true, but it was also pleasurable.

A taste of what was to come.

He lowered her down onto the massive bed. He stood back, she watched hungrily as he began to undress. She…

 **KNOCK! KNOCK!**

The vision was gone, replaced by crimson shadows. She tried to find her way back, to return to the honeyed vision of the past.

It slipped away from her, too fast for her to do anything about it.

She found herself lying on her bed in the Korriban Academy. She sat up, her head still swimming with visions of spells and rituals.

She shook her head, trying to clear it, trying to remember how she had gotten back to her quarters.

The last thing she remembered was being in the library. She had been sitting down at one of the tables, about to open that holocron, and then…

 **KNOCK! KNOCK!**

She took a deep breath, trying to gather her wits.

Memories of her vision of the past returned, what she had seen, what she had been about to do.

She hissed grabbed a pillow from the bed, and screamed into it in pure frustration.

Wasn't that always the way, she thought.

The dream had just been starting to get good! Now here she was woken from it right when the good part was starting.

"Damn it," she murmured.

"Damn it straight to hell!"

She looked at the chrono beside her bed; almost six hours had passed since the library. She tried to remember where the time had gone.

The knock sounded again.

"Yes," she called out trying to keep the frustration in her voice from showing.

"What is it?"

"It's Nass, Farm Girl," she heard her ally say; "Taya is with me, may we enter?"

She growled but gestured to the door, using the Force to unlock it.

Her two allies entered.

She tried not to glare at them.

They did not know what they had interrupted; she would try to remember that.

"Finally back with us, eh?" Nass said grinning.

"It is about time."

Avaryss shook her head again.

"I'm here," she said.

"What happened?"

"We found you wandering the hall outside the library," Taya informed her, "You were totally blissed out, your eyes had a rosy glow to them, and you didn't seem to realize where you were.

Avaryss blinked.

"I was?"

Both of her allies nodded.

"Let me guess," Nass asked, "They let you have a look inside one of the holocrons here?

Avaryss nodded.

Nass smirked.

"I thought so; I remember when they let me try exploring one of those things. I woke up a day later with hardly any memory of what I'd been doing or heard."

Avaryss rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"I…I think that I remember being taught new spells, but by the Emperor, I can't remember half of them."

"Give it time," Nass advised, "You just absorbed a lot of information, it will take time for your brain to catch up, and sort everything out."

"So I will remember, in time?"

"In time, you will."

Avaryss nodded.

Good.

Simus, or rather the holographic representation of him had shown her much.

She would hate to think the experience had been for nothing.

It had been pleasurable, but pleasure was only secondary.

Now she understood how and why Sith Lords in the past had used holocrons to convert weak willed Jedi. She had been nearly overwhelmed and she was used to the darkness.

It felt good, right, but that was **not** the point, the artifact was meant to give her knowledge.

It was the knowledge that she had craved.

It was the knowledge that was necessary.

"The overseers have never given me a chance to explore a holocron," Taya said pouting.

"Perhaps you should try applying yourself more," Nass said, "Tremel and Harkun are not simply going to make you an apprentice, Tay. You want to advance; you are going to have to fight for it. Take down an adversary or two; you need to earn the overseers' respect. You do that, and you just might surpass your mom; and become a Lord of the Sith one day.

Avaryss nodded.

"She isn't wrong, Tay. You are going to have to make a move, any move. No one is going to hand you anything here."

The blonde glared at Avaryss.

"Speaking of making moves, how are things going between you and Fehl? Have you spoken to him?

Avaryss blushed, the memory of the fevered vision returning in all its glory.

"I have not," she admitted.

"I'm not sure I even should."

Taya gave her sly look.

"Now who isn't showing any initiative?'

Avaryss glared at her.

"I'm not sure of his intentions," she spat, "Should I just run blindly into a trap."

"You do not know if it is a trap," Taya said, "You said you felt no deception when you last met."

"She probably does not really know what she felt," Nass said, "He was flooding her mind with lust."

The Inquisitor's daughter shook her head.

She turned to Avaryss.

"He is playing head games with you. Next to him, you are the most well-known acolyte on Korriban. Everyone expects you to fight eventually.

She grinned savagely.

"He will seek any advantage he can get. He will say anything."

Avaryss nodded.

Nass was probably right.

Who knew what was going on in Fehl's head?

Since their encounter in the crumbling tomb, she had tried to learn more about the Academy's top student. Despite being from a refined lineage, he chose to remain mysterious and aloof to his peers. Technically, he had the support of overseer Tremel, but that was only because he refused to support Harkun, and had gone out of his way to hurt Harkun's pet, Ulgar.

Had he chosen to accept Tremel's aid completely, he may have been full Sith by now, instead he remained distant, a lone predator forging his own path.

Such an attitude impressed the dark lords, it was a slower path to victory, perhaps, but it would get you there.

Avaryss was not the only student watching him. Many of the other female students were intrigued by his presence. The male acolytes were jealous of him, but so far none had worked up the courage, or the numbers, to do anything about it.

For the moment, Fehl remained out of reach of everyone. Avaryss was still not sure why he had intervened on her behalf twice.

It was driving her _**mad!**_

 _This is not simply about a rivalry though,_ the dark voice within her said, _and you know it._

 _Your vision was proof enough of that._

She frowned, and shivered.

She did not like what was going on.

Was she attracted to him, sure, she would admit that. Who wouldn't be? He was strong handsome and powerful, what female would not be drawn to such a man?

It had been a long time since she had felt anything like this, if ever. She had had feelings for Ro, or at least acknowledged that she had been…interested, after her family had been killed, she had been left numb. She had been unable to feel anything but rage and hate. It had aided her in her training, but...

She found herself thinking about the boy in her dreams, how he had made her feel, what she had wanted when they were together.

That had felt…like this, but at the same time it had been far too innocent, puppy love. What she was feeling now was much more…intense.

It was a burning, an ache, and it only seemed to grow stronger, the longer she was here that fire just kept growing. Seeing Fehl at a distance just made that ache more pronounced.

 _It is an act_ , her sense of caution warned, _Nass is not wrong. He is playing games with you, trying to throw you off your game, get you to drop your guard._

Then again…what if he was being honest?

 _What if he only wanted to interest her?_

 _What if he was interested_ _ **in**_ _her?_

 _What did that mean?_

 _What_ _ **could**_ _she do?_

She had asked Taya about that after their encounter in the tomb. Asked her friend what she would do in her position.

"Oh, if only I was in your position," she said with a dreamy look on her face.

Avaryss had glared at her.

"Tay," she said grimly.

"You can't blame a girl for dreaming can you?"

She smiled fondly.

"If it was me, well…"

She chuckled.

"Desire before duty, young Sith, slaking your lust just might be what the healer ordered."

Her suggestion had made Avaryss heart beat faster.

She…she had never given into a man like that before.

What if she did something wrong?

What if she embarrassed herself?

Could she survive such shame?

So she had kept her distance, it was cowardly, perhaps, but it was the smartest move she could think of.

For now at least…she would keep her distance.

Fehl had waited until just the right moment to make his move.

Now…she would do the same.

She would wait.

You need to be careful," Nass warned, drawing her back into the present.

The Inquisitor's daughter chuckled.

"Of course, if what I heard today is true, you may not have to worry about the Fehl problem for much longer."

Avaryss blinked.

"What's that?" she asked.

"What did you hear?" Taya added.

Nass grinned.

"Well, I've heard rumors among Harkun's loyalists that their overseer is not in the mood to wait anymore. By rejecting his aid, Fehl has insulted him. Harkun is not the type to back off when he has been insulted, especially by a mere acolyte."

"I've heard that he has already taken steps to remedy the situation."

She gave Avaryss a sly look.

"Harkun may just have solved your Fehl problem for you. Isn't that nice of him?"

Avaryss blinked, her heart lurched in her chest.

"What did you hear?"

"Farm Girl…I…"

"What did you hear, Nass?"

Something in her voice made the Inquisitor's daughter sit back; perhaps it was the cold look that Avaryss was giving her.

She sighed.

"Rumor has it, that Ulgar and a few of his allies are getting together to throw Fehl a little party in the Tomb of Ajunta Pall. Harkun let it slip to Tremel that one of the Dark Lords was interested in an artifact that had been discovered in one of the smaller chambers off of the main tomb."

"What type of artifact?" Taya asked.

"The sword of Ajunta Pall, himself," she said, "That toy is enough to get any Sith to sit up and take notice."

Avaryss' eyes widened.

The sword of Ajunta Pall.

Impossible.

"The sword had not been seen in centuries. The rumor that most Sith believed was that Darth Revan had returned to Korriban and found the sword three hundred years ago. It is said that he used the dark blade to take the head of his former apprentice Darth Malak during their final duel. There was no evidence of that, but that was the story that got passed along whenever the Tomb of Ajunta Pall was mentioned.

"Word is that a sword matching the description of the blade was found in the tomb. If an acolyte brought it back now, who would doubt their worthiness to be a full Sith. Tremel knows this, so who else would he send but Fehl?"

"He won't find a sword there, will he?" Avaryss said grimly.

"He will find several swords actually. The ones in the hands of Ulgar and his friends, he…"

Avaryss had heard enough she leapt from her bed. She used the Force to pull her war blade into her hand.

She was out the door before Nass and Taya could even blink.

"Where are you going Farm Girl?" Nass called after her.

"To find Fehl," she said grimly.

"To help him, or Ulgar?"

Avaryss blinked.

She was not quite sure.

She did not like owing anything to anyone, she could save Fehl and square any debt between them, or she could help Ulgar and take one giant step closer to becoming Sith. Harkun would be both surprised and pleased. Tremel would be happy she finally took some initiative, and claimed the top spot for herself.

Both ideas had merit, she…

 _I'm trying to Interest you._

Fehl's words and his handsome face sprung into her mind, and then she thought of Ulgar, and his hideous visage.

She snarled like an angry Tukata.

Fehl deserved better!

He did not deserve to be killed by a pack of lesser acolytes. If he should fall in battle it should be at the hands of an equal or at the least someone who sought to be his equal.

She could not sit back and do nothing!

She made her way through the academy, she would need to stop and grab some glow rods from supply, it would be dark soon, and even if she made it before dark, she would need those rods in the tomb.

It was very easy to get lost in those winding tunnels.

She was not sure why she was going, what she was going to do when she got there, but one thing was certain.

She was going, and she was going to find Fehl.

What happened next…what happened after…?

She did not know.

When she reached out with the Force all she sensed were shadows, shadows of both violence and lust.

Which was stronger, she could not say.

I will know soon enough, she thought.

I will know when I reach the tomb.

She picked up the pace, using the Force to give her speed.

Hold on Fehl, she thought.

For better or worse, life or death…

…I'm coming.


	30. Rivals

**Chapter 30: Rivals**

By the time she had reached the Tomb of Ajunta Pall, Avaryss had worked herself up into a frenzy.

As she had ran, she had played mind games with herself, preparing herself to meet whatever challenge awaited her there. Over the weeks since her arrival, her hatred of Harkun had grown, and the thought of spoiling his plans, and dealing with some of his maggots appealed greatly to the young acolyte.

Harkun's job is to weed out the weak, she thought to herself, not to decide if a strong student should die or not. He forgets his place.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

It was time to remind him.

She set a manic pace, but by the time the Valley of the Dark Lords finally came into view she slowed and adopted a more careful stance, a hunter's tread.

Harkun may have been scum, but he was still Sith, and therefore _**not**_ stupid. He may have anticipated someone trying to come to Fehl's aid; he may have even taken steps to ensure no help reached his intended target.

Caution was wiser, she could not be of aid if she was killed rushing headfirst into a trap. Besides, she was still not sure if she _intended_ to help Fehl. Even if Harkun's pets failed, they might wound the pure blood enough to make him easy pickings.

The thought disgusted her, but at the same time she recognized what such an opportunity might mean.

 _Dead is dead, does it really matter how when there is so much to gain?_

If she returned alone, with evidence of Fehl's death, she could say whatever she liked about what had happened. There were no camera droids in the tombs, no holo-cams.

 _No_ _ **witnesses**_ _…_ _ **no**_ _rules._

Her tale would become the truth, whatever she said had happened, would be true, according to official record.

She could become the top student here with a single stroke of her blade. It was tempting. Surely the dark lords would take notice of one who had defeated one of their best.

 _Is that how you want to win_ , her conscience chided, _killing a wounded opponent?_

 _What did it matter, nothing succeeded like_ _ **success**_ _. No one would care about the how; all that would matter was_ _ **what**_ _had happened._

She could be the one to destroy the Academy's top student, and by doing so, take his place.

That was the choice, now she had to decide if she wished to take it.

Even injured, Fehl would still be dangerous; the timing would have to be flawless.

It would no doubt be her greatest challenge to date.

The sun continued to drop below the horizon. Avaryss reached out with the Force, seeking both traps and possible foes. For the most part, the predators that ruled this valley after dark kept their distance, no doubt they could feel the power of the young Acolyte, and chose not to risk facing it.

That is for the best, she thought. She had no desire to waste her time destroying animals when such a great opportunity was so close at hand. She remained wary, but as she drew closer to the tomb the excitement of what waited for her inside threatened to spill over and strip away the last of her caution.

The attack came from one of the ledges above.

She barely had time to react.

Five acolytes fell upon her in a rush. They had been lying in wait, perhaps some rear guard to make sure that Fehl did not escape Harkun's trap.

Avaryss only barely avoided being slain; two of the attackers fell upon her with training blades, set to maximum. She fell back using her saber skills to avoid the blows they rained down on her. In time the attackers would have tired, but time was not something that they gave her. Whatever Harkun had offered them it must have been a sweet reward.

They doubled their attack, doubled their effort to try to surround and kill her.

Her rush to the tomb now turned into a fight for survival, _**her**_ survival, and the chances of it were not looking good.

It seemed her adversaries had come prepared for one such as her.

These were no mere novices.

They knew how to kill.

As she engaged the swordsmen, the three behind assaulted her through the Force. Two of them flung loose stone and debris at her, forcing her to dodge and weave out of its way. She was struck several times by smaller bits, and thrown off balance. Every time she staggered one of the swordsmen were there, seeking to end her quickly. While she was distracted, fending off these attacks, the fifth of her would be killers tried to attack her mind, she felt Sith magic striking at her Force shields, trying to touch her mind. For the moment her mental and Force shields were holding, but if this attack continued she would tire before her attackers did, Force exhaustion would set in, and her shields, both mental and physical, would drop, when that happened she would be left vulnerable.

When that happened, she would be dead.

She would have to strike back first, and strike back _**hard.**_

The five gave her no clue of who had sent them; they said not a word, no boasts, taunts, or threats. They simply pushed forward, weakening her defenses.

She did not recognize any of them but that was not really surprising, acolytes were arriving and leaving all the time, the turn over here on Korriban was quite high. Between the high mortality rate, and students going off world for their trials, it was unclear how many students currently called the academy home.

These could have been newcomers, perhaps brought in from Lord's Reach. Harkun may not have wished to take any chances. Fehl had some support here, bringing in outsiders would make sure that the acolyte did not hear about what was coming.

She ducked a large boulder thrown at her head, only to find herself holding off a rain of blows from one of the swordsmen. Meanwhile the other sorcerer continued to batter her mental defenses.

Fear began to build in her breast, but she did not let it control her, instead she reached out with the darkside turning that fear into anger and hatred.

She used it to fuel her power. Fighting defensively was gaining her nothing.

It was time to try a little offense.

She rolled out of the two swordsmen's range and used the Force to leap back, giving herself some breathing room. She glared as her attackers moved in again, trying to surround and kill her.

They were quick, but she was quicker. All she had needed was a few seconds.

She had given herself that, now…it was time to attack, and so…she did.

The two using telekinesis were her first targets; they were expending a great deal of energy trying to keep her busy, too much perhaps. She wondered how strong their shields were after trying so hard to batter her with all this debris.

She decided to test them.

She gestured, casting a spell of her own, directed at the sorcerer and his two allies. The sorcerer was not affected, not that she expected that he would be. He clearly was well trained.

His two telekinetic friends, however, were not so lucky.

The spell fell on them like a hungry predator.

The missiles that had been tormenting her ceased, the two telekinetics drew their training blades and lunged, not at her, but at their sorcerous ally.

Avaryss grinned.

So far so good.

Switching from Soresu to Makashi, she engaged the two swordsmen. The fact that they had been able to keep up with her suggested that their training had gone along similar lines as her own. They had been a threat while she was distracted, now that she was able concentrate, things began to change.

Her war blade flashed, cutting a deep wound into one of the swordsmen's chests. Before he could recover she sent him flying with a Force push. Left with only a single attacker, she doubled he strikes on the remaining opponent, switching quickly between offense and defense.

It did not take long to overwhelm him. She buried her blade into his gut. He fell forward as she drew the blade out.

She dared a quick look around the field.

The battle had turned in her favor.

One of the telekinetics was down, his body twisted horribly in death by some Sith spell. The remaining attacker now engaged her fellow sorcerer, pushing him back with ruthless abandon. The remaining swordsman was trying to find his feet. Avaryss did not let him. She reached out with the Force and brought a crumbling pillar nearby crashing down on top of him.

 _Three down_ , she thought, _two to go._

She blasted the other sorcerer with lightning. Now, it was he who was out numbered, he tried to shield himself and flee, but it left him open to an attack by his crazed ally.

The man's training saber caught the sorcerer across the neck; he collapsed as the lethal jolt of energy destroyed his nervous system. The final attacker then tried to turn his attention back to Avaryss; he lunged shrieking in fear, his terror fueling his powers, making him far quicker than before.

He lunged in blindly, no shield or caution.

Avaryss finished him off easily.

She had no time to savor this victory. She could sense Fehl was not out of danger. She moved quickly and carefully up the worn steps of the tomb, in her wake, predators fell upon the bodies of her slain rivals, the lure of fresh meat here always brought out beasts.

She smiled viciously.

 _Feast well,_ she thought; _that is all that lot is good for now._

She entered the tomb, glow rod in hand. Her progress had slowed again, scanning for traps, and making sure that no further ambushes awaited her.

Noise echoed strangely in the tombs, the winding passages were meant to confuse grave robbers. Add in the miasma of Force energy present in any Sith tomb, and the journey was far from easy.

Still she was not some mundane bandit or grave robber; she was a trained Sith Acolyte. One who had spent a lot of time recently studying Fehl, both how he fought, and his presence in the Force.

It was not hard for her to lock onto that presence now, it drew her forward, it was like blood in the water, and she was a hungry shark.

Through the Force it was not difficult to track her prey.

Nor, was it hard to find Fehl or those Harkun had sent to destroy him, the Force rang out with battle, and even if it did not, all she had to do was follow the sound.

The trap had been sprung. She arrived to find the battle in full swing.

She entered a large chamber, just off the main path leading down into the tomb. She saw Fehl locked in combat with no less than seven attackers. He was holding his own, for the moment, but had little room to maneuver; his attackers had cut him off, and were slowly pushing him back into a smaller and smaller kill box.

He was strong, but with no room to catch his breath, he would be overwhelmed.

It was a good plan. It had a good chance of succeeding.

Avaryss licked her lips.

This was her chance, she could come to the aid of the ambushers, or wait until they had left her prey wounded. It would be the smart move. She saw Fehl use the Force to fling one of his attackers head first into a stone pillar, the boy died without a sound.

Six on one now, she realized, she recognized Ulgar among them, once again too lost in his own fury to realize its limitations.

 _Blindly attacking was foolish, especially when your enemy had a chance of reinforcement._

Killing Fehl would be a coup, but at the same time, the memory of her embarrassment at Ulgar's hands still burned.

She owed the ugly fool a debt of blood.

Perhaps it was time to repay it.

She grinned fiercely. She made up her mind.

She would join the fray.

She raced into the battle with her sword raised.

Fehl saw her, she saw the surprised in his golden eyes; he raised his hand to summon the Force, to defend himself against her attack.

He had not needed to.

She brought her blade down hard on one of his attackers. Its blade sliced deep into the other acolyte's shoulder. She followed it up by a burst of Sith Lightning, sending a female acolyte flying backward writhing in pain.

Fehl saw what she had done and smirked. Even as he parried an attack and struck back with one of his own. Avaryss drooped in beside him, her blade joining his, spinning just as quickly, thirsty for more Sith blood.

"What in the Emperor's name are you doing here?" Fehl asked, from the amusement in his voice, it was clear that her presence pleased him.

He may not be pleased for long, the dark voice within murmured.

 _It is_ _ **not**_ _too late._

 _You can still strike him down!_

Avaryss chuckled. Remembering how he had saved her in the other tomb.

She grinned slyly.

"It is commonly called helping," she replied, mimicking what he had said to her in the other tomb.

"You are welcome by the way."

His only reply was a single barked laugh.

The two of them got to work.

Once again they found themselves drawn into a familiar rhythm, the Force guiding their arms; they once again began to anticipate each other's moves.

The Force flowed strongly between them, its energies bolstering both their spirits and their power…

…not to mention their _**savagery.**_

The fight turned in their favor, Avaryss' attack from behind had caught their enemies completely off guard. Alone Fehl and Avaryss would have been in trouble, fighting together it was a different story.

Together they were almost unbeatable.

Fehl crushed another of their opponents with the Force and flung him into one of his fellows. Avaryss used a spell to madden a third before, taking the girl's head with her war blade. By that time only Ulgar remained, he looked in horror as he saw Avaryss and Fehl approaching.

He threw down his sword and dropped to his knees.

Avaryss shivered with anticipation. She could smell blood and fear.

It was a most heady sensation.

"Mercy," Ulgar cried, "Mercy! Ulgar is no match for you. He…he will serve you if you let him live. Please, please do not kill me."

Avaryss looked at Fehl, she could not speak for him, but mercy was not high on her list of priorities.

From the cold look in his eyes, he shared that opinion.

She suppressed a giggle.

 _Sorry, Ulgar_ , she thought dryly, _it seemed that neither of his would be victims was feeling particularly merciful today._

Too bad for him.

She smiled coldly at the large pure blood. Fehl practically glowed with anticipation. He had come very close to death down here.

She doubted he needed little prompting from her, but hey, why not?

Why shouldn't she have a little fun?

"He came here to kill you," she reminded the pure blood, "Would you like the honors?"

Fehl gave her a fierce smile.

"No, by all means," he said gesturing, "Ladies first."

Though she did not consider herself a lady, she did blush slightly at his words.

She smiled and gave him a slight curtsey.

"You're such a gentleman."

She raised her hand, reaching out with the Force, invincible fingers reached out towards her would be killer, now…her victim. She began choking Ulgar, his body rose into the air slightly as she increased her grip.

She remembered what he had done to her on her first day here, remembered the pain and embarrassment, she had been waiting for a chance to pay him back.

It had been a long time coming.

She listened as he wheezed, and struggled, his face starting to turn purple. She might have crushed him to death, but the battle had left her winded. She chose to give the fool a quick death.

Her war blade flashed, Ulgar's head fell from his shoulders.

She let the body drop, broken, defeated and forgotten.

The price of failure, she thought, grinning triumphantly.

… _The end of the road for all those not strong enough to walk the path of the Sith._

She turned her attention to Fehl, he was still beside her, but had sunk to his knees. It was then she noticed the burns on his crimson tunic, he had been wounded several times.

Her heart beat quickened.

 _Now is_ _ **your**_ _chance,_ the dark voice within purred.

 _Strike_ _ **now**_ _, strike_ _ **hard**_ _and true._

 **Kill him!**

Fehl still had his blade, he looked up then, perhaps, sensing her intent, or seeing the cold look in her icy blue eyes.

She felt fear and surprise, he had not expected this.

He tried to rise, but he was off balance. She caught him with a Force push knocking him down. She kicked his weapon away and ended up on top of him, straddling him.

Her blade was at his throat, all it would take would be one small push.

One small push; and she would be the Academy's new top student.

It was…tempting.

As she looked down upon her victim, she felt a sense of elation.

The darkside was singing in her, begging her to surrender to it, to indulge her bloodlust.

Her heart was pounding. She was breathing heavily. She…she had never felt more alive! The only thing that could have made it better had if Fehl started begging for his life.

Perhaps that was why he did not, his initial fear was gone, and in its place she sensed only a grim acceptance. She was too close to push away, and even if he did, her blade might still cut his throat down to the bone.

His acceptance, it took some of the joy out of this victory!

 _Beg!_ She wanted to shout.

 _Why won't you beg?!_

"So," he said trying to keep his head back, " _ **You**_ set this up? You actually agreed to work with Ulgar, after all that he did to you."

He snorted with amusement.

"I have to admit, I'm impressed. You have a lot more self-control than I do."

She grinned down at him.

"I would take credit for this if I could, but I can't," she replied, "An ally of mine mentioned that Harkun had it in for you."

She giggled.

"I've never been one to turn down an opportunity."

He didn't nod, even if he agreed, her blade was too close to his throat for that, but he could still talk.

Talking was the only thing he could do at that moment.

"So…you saved me so that you could have the pleasure of killing me yourself, eh?"

"That sounds about right, yes," she said.

He pursed his lips.

"Doesn't sound like you," he said, "I thought you better than this."

His words made her flush, not really with anger, but because part of her agreed with him, no matter what the dark side was urging her to do.

Superiority at any cost did have its place, but it did not feel right here.

No, it did not feel right at all.

"Are you trying to talk me out of killing you?"

He smiled.

"It is not death you want, pretty one. If my death is all you wanted, you could have sat back and waited for Ulgar and his worms to do it for you.

The golden eyes of his burned into hers, she expected to be sensing anger, betrayal, and fear, yet that was not what she felt from the pure blood.

She felt, admiration, desire, and…

She suppressed a gasp.

She felt…lust, pure, hot, and undeniable

Suddenly she was very much aware of where she was, straddling this man as he grinned up at her.

She could not contain the blush that flooded her cheeks.

" _It is all a lie,"_ the dark voice within growled, _"He is playing head games with you, he has been doing so since the very beginning."_

 _Do it._

 _Do it now!_

 _ **Kill him!**_

She did not take the blade away, but neither did she do the deed.

She was getting lost in those golden eyes, drowning in them.

In that moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the galaxy. The tomb fell away. The carnage that they had left in their wake fell away.

It was just the two of them.

An Avaryss was caught, listening to the words of Fehl.

Both bound by those words, and trapped.

"You do not want death," he continued, "You want domination. You want to have power over me, to do…whatever it is you want."

His grin widened.

"I think you want the very thing that I wanted the moment I saw you in that dueling ring. I've watch you so closely these last few weeks, just as you have watched me."

She blinked, trying to breathe, trying to deny the growing heat within her.

"I…I was only watching so that I could learn how to defeat you."

"As did I, at first," he agreed, "But it has grown beyond that, at least for me.

Those eyes continued to burn into her, she could see the flush of his crimson skin, yet she felt no anger, this was far beyond anger, it was not rage.

It was passion in its purest form.

Peace is a lie, there is only passion.

Those words never rang more true until that moment.

"You want to dominate me," he said, "I would not be entirely, opposed to that. I have no problem with women with authority."

He chuckled.

"I think you like being on top."

Her blush darkened, but she refused to relent, the dark side continued to burn within her.

It would not be denied, it would not be sidetracked.

Lies, all lies.

She would not be misled.

"You know nothing," she hissed, "You know nothing of what I want. What I intend to achieve!"

"I know what you want **now** ," he said in a husky voice, "You do not have to be afraid."

His expression turned soft, gentle.

"Whatever you want, it is yours," he purred, "I give it to you, willingly."

The glow rods that Fehl had spread before the ambush was fading, the chamber continued to grow darker, more intimate.

Her blade remained at his throat, but it was no longer held as tightly.

 _Whatever you want_ , he had said.

 _I give it to you willingly._

She shuddered, trying hard not to think.

She could end this right now.

She could use her blade, and return a hero, but…she did not want that.

She could play, the overseers' game, or play by her own rules.

We don't have to be rivals, she thought.

We do not!

She shivered, her heart pounding in her ears.

End it, the darkness within screamed.

Tell him what you want, say you want him dead.

She swallowed hard, her throat felt so dry.

"I want…" she murmured, "I want…"

"It is okay," he said in a soothing voice.

"You can tell me."

His arrogance both angered and excited her.

He did not know her. He…

He moved.

She may not have taken the blade away, but she had loosened it.

In that moment, her rival struck.

He pulled the war blade from her hand; it went skidding away from her. Before she could call it back, he used his strength to both push her away and onto her back.

Before she could recover he was there, now he was straddling her, his large crimson hands at her throat.

Fool, the dark voice chided.

This is how you end.

She was afraid. She could not deny that. All it would take was a slight shift of pressure and he would be strangling the life from her.

 _He_ _ **was**_ _playing games_ , she thought, _now the game is over._

 _He won, and now…now…_

… _he is going to kill me._

She did not even have the strength to be angry.

All she felt was heat.

He looked down upon her, his eyes flashing like molten gold.

She whimpered both in fear and submission.

"I know what you want," he snarled, grinning down at her.

"Let me give it to you.

She tried to push him back, but it was no use. She tried to summon the Force, but it would not come…

He leaned down, close and closer.

She tried to struggle, but she was no match for him.

Their lips met.

A weak moan escaped her, but that was all.

He kissed her deeply, passionately.

Her resistance ceased.

Her arms tightened around his neck. They began to move against each other. She sighed as he broke the kiss, looking down on her.

She gazed up at him, her eyed dark with desire.

"I want you," she purred, smiling hungrily.

"I want you so bad."

He smiled.

"As you wish," he growled, their lips meeting again.

The world turned to heat, pure, blessed heat.

She sighed contentedly.

Yes, she thought.

The glow rods finally failed, the darkness consumed them both. He released her, they both sat up, pulling at their clothes, trying to get them off.

She kissed him now, fiercely, he responded to her passion those strong arms wrapping tight around her.

She did not want his death, not now...

She wanted only **one** thing, and he was willing to give it to her.

She almost whimpered with delight.

 _Oh yessss!_


	31. Fallout

**Chapter 31: Fallout**

"Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

Avaryss sighed; she really was not ready to deal with this right now. She had just returned after having spent a long night in the Valley of the Dark Lords. It had been a pleasurable night; make no mistake, but still quite long.

She was not really in the mood for recriminations right now, especially not from someone who she considered an ally.

Nass and Taya had tracked her down as soon as she had returned. She had returned to her quarters for a shower and a change of clothes. A nap would have been nice as well, but she still had her academy commitments, it was not like she could simply forget about them, no matter how much had changed for her personally in the last few hours.

She had returned from the valley feeling a sense of contentment that she had not known in months. No doubt Nass and Taya had felt the change the moment they entered her quarters. Taya had not needed to be told what had happened. She had no doubt guessed by sensing the change that had come over her friend.

Nass sensed it too, but unlike their blonde companion, she was not pleased by the outcome, in fact, she sounded down right disgusted.

Avaryss could not say why. Though she thought that she had no real reason to defend herself, or the choice she had made out in the tomb.

"I followed my emotions," she said, "They led me to a place that I never expected, but now that I've gone there…"

She smiled fondly.

"I can't say that I'm sorry that it happened."

Nass snorted and shook her head, clearly she did not agree with Avaryss' take on the whole situation.

Taya couldn't stop smiling.

"Sooo," she said stifling a giggle, "You and Fehl, huh?"

Avaryss laughed.

"Is that really _**so**_ surprising?"

"I suppose it isn't. You've both made names for yourselves here. It is not surprising that he would choose someone with a reputation for a little…distraction."

"Oh it was more than a mere _distraction_ , far more."

"Really?" Taya exclaimed, her eyes lighting up, "I…um…I take it that…it…um…that it was _**good**_ then?"

Avaryss blushed.

"Quite good actually, and I should know…"

She gave her friend a sly look.

"WE got a lot of practice last night, **three** times…at least."

Taya's eye's widened.

" _ **Three?"**_

"Uh huh," Avaryss said smirking.

" _Oh my!"_

Avaryss could no longer stifle the giggle that had been building inside of her. It made her sound like a foolish school girl, but she did not care.

It had been quite good.

IOI

Two years ago, give or take, Avaryss' mother had first started broaching the subject of her daughter entering into a relationship with a man. Her father would have a say in who she eventually married, but it was not marriage that her mother wished to discuss with her. It was the matter of boys….

She wanted her daughter to be prepared.

The girl who would eventually take the name Avaryss had not really wanted to discuss it. She was too embarrassed to have such a talk with her mother. Still…Mya Lylos had pushed forward.

"You will not feel embarrassment when the time comes daughter," she promised, "One day, you will meet a man who will make you feel like you are truly alive for the first time. It can be exciting, but scary just the same."

Her mother had smiled fondly at her then.

"Love can strike without warning, but you must try not to be completely swept away by it. You are the daughter of an overseer, after all."

"You must try to balance your happiness with what is best for your family."

She had nodded then, if for no other reason to simply end the conversation. She really had not wanted to have this talk with her Mom. It had left her blushing.

Now…after last night, she was finally starting to understand what her mother had been trying to teach her.

She had been swept away last night.

It had probably not been the smartest of moves on her part, but again, she did not care.

Something that felt so good should not ever be considered wrong.

As the light had failed in the tomb, she had given herself over completely to Fehl, no resistance, and no doubts. Early on he had discovered her… _inexperience_ in such matters. He had not been embarrassed or insulted.

The pure blood had revealed a side to her that she had not expected, a tender side, a sweet side. He had guided her through those first clumsy steps of physical love. He had taken control guiding her where she wanted to be, where she **needed** to be.

In that moment, he was both her tutor and the object of her physical desires. She had surrendered willingly, and he had rewarded her submission five-fold.

There had been pain; of course, there was no real pleasure without it. After their first time he had held her, _soothed_ her. She had drifted off to sleep in his strong arms, desiring nothing more than to wake up and be comforted by him.

She was not sure how long she had dosed, but when she did wake, the hunger was back again. She had woken him with gentle caresses and soft kisses.

Her touch reawaked his desires as well, only this time she _knew_ what to do. She was a fast learner, always had been.

He **learned** quickly how good a student she was.

Plus, it seemed that he had been right about her.

She did like being on top.

In the morning, he would have no complaints not about what they had shared; at least, she did not think he would.

They had both found their pleasure.

She had done her best to make sure he had found his.

She had no desire to remain a simple rival.

She went out of her way to prove that she was not.

After that, they had spoken, freely for the first time, the intimacy they had shared had stripped away any further resistance they might have had. He had laid out his cloak like a blanket so that she would not have to lie on the cold hard stone. She rested on her stomach as he gently rubbed her back and shoulders. His touch was gentle and soothing, helping her lose any tension that remained from the fight outside.

There was nothing between them now, no secrets, armor, or clothes.

She welcomed the intimacy, she had been so alone.

It was nice to let her guard down.

He continued to massage her shoulders, pausing only occasionally to place a soft kiss on her tattooed back.

She groaned softly, never imagining that she would ever have experienced anything like this. She was completely at peace as her darkest knight told her about himself, and all the while his fingers continued to make her more and more his.

She did not mind, and as she listened, she realized just who it was she was now involved with, how powerful he truly was.

His story was…surprising.

It touched her heart.

Fehl, as she had heard, had come from a storied lineage. He could trace his ancestry back to one of the earliest Sith noble houses. Though they had lost much of that high station, their name and bloodline had remained strong. Their family had become well known for producing many great Sith warriors.

Fehl was the last of that line, its sole inheritor, much was expected of him.

Both his Father and older brother had died during the war. His mother had died bringing him into the galaxy. He had still been a child when the rest of his blood line had fallen. Following the deaths of his family, he had ended up in the care of those loyal to his bloodline, or, that is what they claimed.

The last six years of his life had been devoted entirely into turning him into the most savage of Sith weapons. They pushed him far harder than most children his age, combat and saber training had been his life, along with the most powerful offensive skills that the Sith Order practiced. They had tried to weed out any weakness, any sense of compassion and mercy. What they had not done was nurture his intellectual development, his understanding of the Empire's politics and governance.

Despite their best efforts they could not keep him completely isolated, he used his gifts to discover more than what they had been willing to teach him, from there, he came to realize exactly what they had been trying to do.

 _He had_ _ **not**_ _been pleased._

His father's holdings had passed to his guardians, though not as great as they once had been they were still **his** by right. Those guardians did not wish to see the passage of those holdings contested. All that they had offered him was meant to make him a weapon, and _**nothing**_ else. They had wanted a brutish thug, not a young man capable of becoming a lord. He probed their defenses carefully, searching for weaknesses. He bribed servants to learn more about their true motivations. Soon, he came to realize that he would never be granted his inheritance. He would have to seize it.

He had ended up having to hatch a plot.

"I see no reason to bother you with all the details," he had said idly running his finger up her spine, she had shuddered at his touch, enjoying the sensation of it.

"It was safe to say that you can guess the outcome."

She moaned softly as she nodded.

Still the part of her that kept its distance, the Sith part of her considered what he had said.

 _A shame,_ she thought, _it would have been interesting hearing about such a victory._

 _It might give her ideas in carrying out her_ _ **own**_ _ambitions._

"I take it your plan succeeded?"

"It did," he said nodding, "I played my guardians off against each other. Their greed became the tool of my ascension. Before all was said and done, everything that they valued now belonged to me; everything that would have passed to me, and all that they had built since."

He gave her an evil smile.

"If only you could have seen their faces. They had thought me no threat at all. It was thrilling to see them brought so low."

"What did you do with them after?" she asked.

"I could not let them go, of course, if I had, they would have only sought revenge later, and I did owe them for all the physical skills that they had granted me through their training.

"I granted the leaders a swift and clean death. Their lessers I promoted, to manage my holdings until I completed my training and returned."

He chuckled.

"Those that I promoted were shocked; they assumed that they would have to die as well. Now they found themselves with access to more than their previous employers ever would ever have dared grant, that, and my promise to offer them more should they serve me well."

"I earned my first underlings, that day, and the attention of several of the dark lords. I had no problem getting into the academy then. I proved that I was more than a lightsaber blade; that I had far more to offer than a strong arm."

Avaryss gave him a lazy smile.

"But I **like** your arms, and, if I may be so bold, the rest of you is quite nice as well."

He gave her a savage look.

"I enjoy bold women," he said grinning, "They know what they want and how to get it. They…

He blinked.

"Wait? Only nice?" he inquired.

She smirked.

"Well, I don't know," she said playing coy, "Perhaps you should show me what you can do **again** , so that I can…make a more _enlightened_ judgment."

He gave her that hungry look again.

"I think that can be arranged," he said in a husky voice.

He rolled her over and had her.

After that, she had had no further reason to question him.

She now had the answered she had sought.

She was more than satisfied with the outcome.

They spent the rest of the night in the tomb, when the sun finally came up; they made their way back to the academy together. Neither Acolyte said much about what had happened, they did not need to.

Through the Force, they were now bonded. What they had shared created a connection that would be very hard to break.

The death of one or the other might have done it, but that was the farthest thing from Avaryss' mind at that point.

Fehl was hers, now.

She would be damned if she would lose him, or let him be taken from her now.

Neither Tremel nor Harkun questioned their return. Neither did they ask about Ulgar and the other acolytes that had been in the Valley last night. Anyone who failed to return from the valley was dead in the eyes of the order. Whether they were or not did not matter.

They were gone, that was all that mattered, and when you were gone you were forgotten, that was the way of the Sith…

…that was the will of the dark side.

Nass and Taya had proven to not be as understanding.

They confronted their ally upon her return. Avaryss said little until after their classes had concluded for the day. What she had to say was not for prying ears.

She felt his eyes on her as they trained. She knew that they could not keep what they were a secret forever, but for the moment it remained just between them, a guilty pleasure.

She longed to experience it more close up and personal later.

Fehl had asked her to join him in his chambers tonight. He wanted to be with her. She made no promises; she had said only that she would consider it. She did not wish him to think that she was simply his toy now. No.

She still wanted to be Sith, and a Sith was no one's toy, no matter how they might feel about them.

Taya was happy for her, and perhaps a little bit jealous. Avaryss had known for a while that the blonde had been trying to get Fehl's attention with no success.

Nass was not so supportive; in fact she was down-right angry.

Avaryss did not let it bother her.

Let her rant, she had Fehl now, what did anything else matter?

"So let me get this straight," The Inquisitor's daughter said, "Not only did you fail to kill Fehl, but now you apparently his…what…paramour?"

Avaryss shrugged.

She was not sure what was a good name for what she was to Fehl now?

It would take some time to find out.

"I don't see what is wrong," she told the other girl.

"Fehl is no longer a threat. I thought you would be happy about that."

Nass glared at her.

"You are not that naïve, Farm Girl. I know you are not."

Avaryss eyes narrowed.

"You think me naïve?"

"I think that you're not thinking with what is between your ears. I think that you are forgetting why you are here, why we are all here."

The brown haired girl frowned.

"If Fehl had died last night, you would now by the top student of this academy. Tremel would have been pleased with your initiative, and Harkun would have been neutralized. His attempt to remove Fehl having backfired, he would have been forced to support you rather than admit how he had failed. No Dark Lord here, or anywhere else in the Empire would have been able to deny your value."

Nass sighed.

"And where you went, Taya and I would not have been far behind. We would have owned this place like we owned _the Butcher's Block._

"Korriban is not _the Butcher's Block,"_ Avaryss reminded her, "And Harkun and Tremel are not Alaria."

"But the principle of the matter is the same," Nass growled, "Farm Girl…don't you realize what you've done!"

"I think it is safe to say that she _**did**_ Fehl," Taya giggled.

Nass shot her a cold look.

Any joy on the blonde's face vanished.

It was clear that Nass was not in the mood for joking or games.

"This is bad," she said, "You have put us all in **jeopardy!** "

Avaryss leaned back, eyeing her old ally closely.

"How so," she said, "All I did was spend the night with someone. You did that several times back on Butcher's Clearing."

"Fehl is _**not**_ a pleasure slave, he is a Sith pure-blood. Don't you know how important that is in the Empire? Do you know what Overseer Tremel is, Farm Girl; do you understand the mindset of a strict traditionalist of the Sith Order?"

"No," she admitted, "Enlighten me."

Nass growled under her breath.

"Among his other talents, Tremel is a bit of a snob. Like most of the traditionalists, he believes in the sanctity of Sith blood. A pure blood's blood is almost sacred to him, a pure blood like Fehl that would be even more important."

The Inquisitor's daughter frowned.

"What do you think he will do when he finds out that Fehl has taken up with a human? Do you think that he is going to be happy about that? Trust me, Farm Girl, he is not."

Avaryss glared.

"What does it matter to Tremel who Fehl or I choose to spend our nights with?"

"It matters," Nass said, "Trust me, it does."

Taya frowned, perhaps realizing for the first time what the other girl was getting at.

She looked at her friend.

"She is not wrong Avy. When it comes to matters involving the old bloodlines, some traditionalists can be ruthless."

Avaryss gave her a cold glare.

"You are taking Nass' side?"

"I'm taking no side," she said raising her hands in submission, "I'm just sharing what I know about such things, what I've heard."

"You've **endangered** us," Nass spat, "You are going to have to fix it."

Avaryss sneered at her.

"And how am I supposed to fix it? How should I proceed, oh great strategist."

Nass sneered at her.

"You said he wanted you to come to him, tonight," she grinned wickedly, "That means that the two of you will be alone together. I've made a few friends since we returned. I can guarantee that the holo cams will be out when you pay your sweet Fehl a visit."

Avaryss' eyes widened. Realizing what Nass was asking.

"You are mad!" she gasped.

"It is the best way to end this," Nass said, "Just take a blade with you, let him enjoy himself, and when he falls asleep, make sure that he never wakes up."

Taya's eyes were as round as saucers.

"You **can't** ask Avy to kill him here," she gasped, "We are in the Academy! You can't kill another student under the academy's roof."

"Everyone knows that," Nass said smirking, "That is why she would get away with it."

"They would _**execute**_ me!" Avaryss almost shouted.

"They would need a witness for that," Nass reminded her, "No witnesses, no rules, remember?"

Even if the cams were out, even if I _was_ willing to do this, all they would need is someone to see me going into Fehl's quarters. That is all that any good inquisitor would need to get the kill order signed on me."

Nass gave her a reassuring look.

"I told you, Farm Girl, I'll handle it. No one will be able to pin this on you."

Avaryss stood crossing her arms across her chest.

"You won't need to," she said, "Because I **won't** do it!"

Nass glared at her finding her own feet.

Taya looked nervously between them, unsure what to do.

"This is your mess, Farm Girl," she said, "You are going to have to clean it up!"

"I will _**not**_ hurt Fehl," she growled back.

"Then Tremel and Harkun will have all the excuse they need to make all our lives into a living hell and all because you decided to go mushy on us."

"This is not about _**you**_ ," Avaryss snapped back, "I _chose_ this. Fehl _chose_ this; it has nothing to do with us as a group."

"You honestly think Tremel will care? He will no doubt think that you are trying to bring Fehl in with us."

"It would be a good move on our part," Avaryss said, "Maybe we should."

"And maybe Tremel will start to think that you are interfering in Fehl's training. Maybe he will think that the only reason you are interested in Fehl is to lure him into a trap, keep him so occupied that he stops thinking straight.

"Even if you forget the whole traditionalist thing, he would still be obligated to respond. No one is allowed to interfere with another's training, not within academy walls, and even if he doesn't think that way, the Dark Lords that are interested in Fehl might think otherwise."

Nass shivered.

"You do not want a Darth as your enemy."

Avaryss said nothing.

She already _had_ one, though Nass did not know that.

The Inquisitor's daughter did not pick up on that, she continued speaking.

"Again, we would find ourselves right back where we are now. We will be waiting for a blade to fall. It is a mistake, and jeopardizes everything we have been working towards."

Avaryss shuddered.

She wanted to say that Nass was just being paranoid, that the girl was making a tukata out of kath hound pup, but part of her still knew that the other girl was probably right.

Sith traditionalists could be extremely single minded in their thinking. If they thought a group of students were a threat, they would respond accordingly and likely quite fatally.

She looked at her two allies.

Did she really have the right to do that to them, to _either_ of them?

No, she did not, but that did not mean that she was willing to risk execution herself just to make things right.

No, there had to be another way.

She would not give up what she had just found, she would not do it!

She looked at Taya, the blonde had fallen silent during this argument, unsure of who to support.

Nass gave Avaryss a cold commanding look.

"You know what needs to happen," she said, "For the good of this alliance, you must do it."

Avaryss frowned; she did not like being backed into a corner, not even by someone who had proven so helpful to her in the past.

Nass' way was one way, but there was another, one that she had perhaps waited too long to consider.

Her frown deepened.

She knew what needed to be done.

"You are wrong," she said, "There is one thing that I can do, and it will protect the both of you."

"And what is that? Taya asked.

Avaryss sighed.

"We dissolve our partnership, now."

Nass' eyes widened.

"Now who is insane!" she gasped, "You wouldn't even be here if it weren't for us!"

Avaryss glared at the Inquisitor's daughter.

"Remember what Alaria said, all alliances have to end eventually."

"Avy?" Taya gasped, "You don't mean…"

"It is the smart call," Avaryss said, "The only person that gets blamed now will be me, and you two will be safe."

"You think that Tremel will believe that?" Nass asked.

"He will given time. You will not lift a finger to help me, whatever happens you leave me to my own fate."

Nass snorted in disbelief.

"You think that Fehl will protect you? I find that…unlikely."

"I do not _**need**_ Fehl's help," Avaryss spat back, "I survived Fury 9 on my own, I will survive this."

She looked at the two girls, she had grown fond of them both, in all their spoiled devious glory, despite everything that had been said in the last few minutes.

She did not like the idea of stepping away, but it was right call; the smart call.

By formally ending their alliance, she would shield them from any rage that the overseers might direct at her. There was no reason that Nass and Taya could not remain a duo, and it would likely keep them safer as well.

No, this was the only way, Avaryss thought, she knew it!

She could feel it.

She sighed, and took one last look at her two allies.

"We end this, for all our sakes. Thank you both for what you have done, but I must go forward on my own from here on out."

Taya looked hurt, like she had just found her favorite pet dead.

Nass looked cold, condescending, like Avaryss had just agreed to commit suicide for her.

"I hope he is worth it," she said with a sneer, "Once Tremel realizes what is going on; he is going to let the other students pull you apart."

Avaryss sneered back, unwilling to be intimidated.

"All Sith stand alone in the end," she said trying to sound confident.

Nass and Taya looked at each other, it was clear that neither had wanted it to end this way.

Nass growled and left without another word.

Taya remained behind looking shell shocked.

Avaryss gave her sad look.

"You have to trust me, Tay," she said.

"I know what I'm doing."

The blonde gave her a wry smile.

"I hope you're right," she said.

Avaryss laughed nervously.

"Yeah," she said dryly, "me too."

 **A/N: Would any of you like a little preview of Avaryss' dream friend? He will eventually be entering this tale, and I recently had a story for him take root in my mind. If any of you are interested, please let me know, in the meantime, until the next chapter!**

 **DG**


	32. Dark Hearts

**Chapter 32: Dark Hearts**

"What am I going to do with you, Acolyte? Despite everything else, you continue to be a thorn in my side."

Avaryss did not respond; she stood at attention, as she had since being summoned to the overseer's office.

She kept her face bland, but inside she was seething.

 _I know what he wants, but I_ _ **won't**_ _do it._

He waited for her to answer, when she did not, he shook his head.

Tremel sighed as he went over the days reports, she suspected, more than a few of those reports mentioned her.

It would have been flattering, had the stakes not been so high. She knew how Tremel had come to feel about her, and what she had been doing with the academy's top student.

She was just surprised that he took this long to summon her.

It had been almost a month since she had ended her alliance with Nass and Taya, as far as she knew they remained allies, despite the loss of their third. Neither had said one word to her since her choice to dissolve their partnership, but that was for the best.

No one in the academy could claim their separation was a ruse. She was content in her choice to keep her fellows safe. It may not have been very Sith-like, but it had been her choice.

She had been too weak to save her own sisters; the least she could do was trying and protect her friends.

As for Tremel, he eventually did find out about her relationship with Fehl. So far, the overseer had done nothing overt against her, much had happened in the last few weeks, but she could not claim that any of it had anything directly to do with the Overseer.

He has to tread carefully too, she realized, many eyes are on Fehl right now, and, she suspected, her as well…

It seemed that all three of them needed to be careful.

It was a safe bet that more than one blade was hanging over their heads right now. One misstep and that blade would fall.

She would have to be careful not to be under it when it did.

The overseer sighed and sat back in his chair, his cold eyes evaluating her. Lately she had stopped wearing the simple garb of an acolyte, instead choosing to wear a light combat suit. Black leather with small cortosis weave plates protecting her vital organs. Most students here might say such a move was paranoid, but considering everything that had happened in the last few weeks.

She preferred to err on the side of caution.

It was not paranoia if people actually _**were**_ out to get you.

It was not Tremel's way to get angry; he did not fly into a rage at every minor insult. Any anger he may have directed at her remained clamped down tight by his iron will.

His willpower impressed her; she knew how heady the dark side could feel especially when you had an enemy at your mercy. To remain so cold when confronted by someone who you feel is causing great trouble or harm; it was too good for most to pass up.

Tremel had chosen to remain silent. What he might be planning she could not say. The last time they had spoken was during a brief class meeting welcoming several new students from Lord's Reach and Butcher's Clearing. She didn't recognize any of them, but that did not mean that they did not know her, Several times she had caught Tremel speaking quietly with one or more of those students, he had even been watching her at the time. After that, she thought it prudent to keep her guard up around the new arrivals, just in case.

She did interact with a few of them that night, tried to get their measure, and at the same time offer to the more ambitious a few well-placed veiled threats.

She wanted to be sure that they did not get the wrong idea about her. They might even come to think it was in their best interest to try and do something about her. Avaryss did what she could to discourage such talk.

She needed for both the old, and the new, students to understand one thing.

If they went after her, they would lose.

A Sith was always cultivating new enemies. She just wanted to make sure that none of them chose to strike at her until she was ready. As a result she had needed to make several… _examples_ in the last few weeks.

Eventually, she hoped, her fellow acolytes would finally get the idea.

She would defend herself if attacked, with lethal force, if necessary.

She frowned slightly.

Lately, it seemed that that necessity would consume her life.

Too many were gunning for her, but she still refused to relent.

Perhaps that was why she had been summoned, perhaps this game had become too costly for the overseer to play anymore, and perhaps now, he wished to finally discuss peace.

She almost laughed at that thought.

 _Peace is a lie, there is only passion._

Tremel did not strike her as the type to give up.

He looked up from his reports; she still remained silent, standing still under that calm watchful gaze.

"You look tired, Acolyte," he said, "You appear bruised, and beaten. Perhaps there is something I can do to relieve the pressure you are under?"

She gave him a wry smile.

"Call off your lapdogs. Do that, and I would be most grateful."

"Oh they are not mine, Acolyte," Tremel's soft voice always seemed so strange to her; it gave her no clues to what the Overseer was thinking.

"I did not unleash those that have challenged you. They are merely responding to what they have heard."

" _Heard_ from you," she said, her eyes narrowing.

He smiled.

"It is my task here to weed out the weak. I've been doing it for many years now."

"You think me _**weak**_?" she growled, "My victories in the dueling ring prove otherwise."

"Yes, those have been quite impressive, I cannot deny that."

Avaryss grinned.

Finally, she thought.

…Some **positive** recognition.

It was nice, considering the hell he was putting her through, but then again, she had been expecting it. Nass and Taya had warned her.

Since she and Fehl became an item, every time the instructors asked if there were any challenges in the dueling ring, some Acolyte would step up and name her. At first she had thought it simply new students seeking to test themselves against the Hero of Butcher's Clearing, but that had not been the case.

They couldn't touch Fehl, or at the very least they do not want to risk him putting them in the medical bay. So now, all his would be enemies were targeting her, perhaps seeing her as a weak link. Perhaps they believed that she had only gotten where she was because she and Fehl had become lovers.

So now, it fell to her.

They were trying to break her down. Perhaps leave her scarred or crippled. Each time another student called her out, she had no doubt that they were doing so on the suggestion of Tremel and Harkun. Either to leave her too wounded to continue her education, or convince Fehl that she was unworthy of him, to convince him to abandon her.

Whatever the reason, the Acolytes who tried made their choice.

She did her best to make sure they regretted it.

She had held back during the first few challenges; she saw no reason to take things to the extreme. After the first week passed, and the challenges continued, she realized that she needed to do more than simply win.

By the end of the second week, she had grown tired of being merciful. She realized that holding back, even when facing those that were sure to lose, was foolish.

Her anger had shown through, giving her the power to do what she might have considered impossible before.

She had grown to hate many of her fellows.

She was not above making an example of those she hated.

She gave Tremel a cruel smile.

"How is Acolyte Raze doing?"

Tremel shrugged.

"He is still in a coma; the medical droids do say he has a chance to awaken."

Her smile widened.

"Good," she said, "Such pain **should** be a learning experience. Hopefully, he will use this as a motivator to work on his mental shields. They really _**did**_ need some work."

Tremel could have gotten angry at her for that comment, instead, he smiled.

"It is not your strength that is in question. It is your motivations that concern me. I'm concerned that this _…dalliance_ with Fehl is hurting you both, your training is suffering.

 _No_ , she thought, _you do not like the fact that a human and pure blood are together. It doesn't fit what you consider is right, and so you are punishing me for it._

 _If anything, you are only giving me more reason to hate you. You are only making me more powerful!_

She did not say that out loud, that was an opinion, Tremel appreciated hard facts.

Facts were how she would convince him to end this foolishness.

"And yet, we continue to endure," she said, "Despite your decision to deny me any private sessions with the other instructors."

"I thought it the easiest way to show my displeasure. I must admit, I'm not pleased with the results. Despite the instructors' best efforts to help you see error of your ways, you continue to grow stronger. It is most confusing for them."

"But not for you?"

"No, Acolyte, _**not**_ for me."

She should have figured. You did not get to be an overseer on Korriban by being foolish. Despite being part of their relationship, Fehl had not been cut off; he had too many supporters back on Dromund Kaas. He was still getting private sessions from the instructors, and he had proven more than willing to share those lessons with her, some of them at least."

Avaryss shook her head.

"I know you were hoping that Fehl and I would become rivals, that one of us would destroy the other. Is it really so bad that we have not? Would it truly hurt the Empire to have two powerful Force users in its service?"

The overseer's brow furrowed.

"You hope to convince me to let the matter go, despite my disapproval of the two of you being…together."

"Fehl is not the type to throw away something he desires, and neither am I. He was manipulated for the most of his childhood, as you no doubt know."

"I'm aware of his history."

Then you also know why he is unwilling to end our…relationship. He spent his entire childhood being told that he could not have what he desired, that he should just accept what was offered, is it any wonder he would resist you?"

"It is not," Tremel agreed, "I've tried reason, perhaps harsher methods are called for? I could try to have one of you removed, I suppose. As a former student of the Fury academies, you would have been a good candidate for removal. Perhaps I _**should**_ have done that when I first heard about your relationship with Fehl? _You_ had only arrived, and your assassination would not have ruffled too many feathers, but that is no longer the case. The option of simply having you killed is no longer available. I'm afraid that choice is out of my hands now."

Avaryss blinked.

The fact that he could talk so blithely about her cold blooded murder surprised her, but it really shouldn't have, Tremel had likely made many such choices over the years to protect this academy.

It was nice to know that her death was no longer an option, but…

What did he mean when he said things were now out of his hands?

"What do you mean, Overseer?" she inquired.

Tremel frowned.

"Despite my best efforts to keep this matter private, the Dark Lords have heard what is going on. Your victories in the dueling ring have turned some heads, and now the lords are asking me why you have yet to challenge Fehl."

"And you have told the lords the truth?"

"I have."

Tremel sighed.

"You have not gone unnoticed; you have gained the interest of several of the Dark Lords, young one. May the Force protect you."

She tried to remain confident, but a shiver ran down her spine.

"What kind of attention are the Dark Lords' showing me? Is it the "I want to make the girl my apprentice," kind, or is it the "make sure her corpse is never found" kind?"

Tremel actually laughed at her comment.

"You have an amusing way of looking at things, Acolyte, and to answer your question, you are getting _**both**_ forms of attention. For the moment, the demands for either remain about equal, neither side has truly committed to your rise or your destruction, but the matter will no doubt be settled soon."

Avaryss nodded grimly.

"Then perhaps you should resolve it."

"I take it you have a suggestion?"

"Give me my final trial," she said, "Let me prove to the dark lords that I'm worthy to become Sith. If I win then I'm away from here. If I die, then you are proven right and are rid of me."

"I thought of that, just as I thought of giving Fehl _**his**_ final trial. It would get him away from Korriban, and the time apart might have been good for both of you, but as I said, such decisions are no longer in my hands. One of the Darths blocked my attempt to have either of you take the final trial. Apparently, this lord wishes to see how this matter will play out."

Hearing that did surprise her!

 _A Darth?_

 _Interested in her and Fehl?!_

"Does this Darth have a name?" she asked.

"I wasn't informed," he said, "All I know is that this lord has enough support to block both of your final trials."

Tremel actually looked apologetic after having told her this.

"So you see, Acolyte, this is no longer simply about my displeasure. Powerful people have taken interest in what happens next. My suggestion to you is to resolve this matter quickly, speak with Fehl; make him see sense, before one of the lords decides to do it for you."

He shrugged.

"There are reasons why those in the Empire consider a Darth as death personified. Whatever answer a Dark Lord of the Sith would come up with would be as final as it would be fatal. Try to remember that?"

Avaryss nodded. She wondered if Tremel was lying, perhaps this was all some ruse to convince her to let Fehl go.

No, that was not the way Tremel worked.

She felt no deception. She felt annoyance that the Dark Lords would get so directly involved with academy business, but…

No.

She did not think he was lying, and if he was not?

She shuddered.

Perhaps she and Fehl needed to talk.

"Thank you for the information, overseer," she said bowing respectfully.

"I wish that I could have given you better news. Despite what you may think, I try to do what is best for the students under my charge, and to aid the advancement of those who will serve the Empire best. Either you or Fehl would do that."

He shook his head.

"It was your decision that brought this about, remember that. I had the Empire's best interest at heart."

He gave her a sad smile.

"You should have done the same."

IOI

She left the overseer's office feeling more paranoid than when she had went in. It was the realization that a Darth had chosen to become _directly_ involved in what was happening with her and Fehl.

She did not like it.

Let them try to interfere, the dark voice within said; we will meet each challenge and crush anyone who gets in our way.

She shook her head.

She wanted to believe that, but still…a Darth…

She was not ready to face a Darth, not yet.

Eventually she would be strong enough to avenge her family, but that day was not today.

Maybe I can find out this Darth's name. Convince him or her to support me? I could maybe even convince them to take me on as an apprentice.

The thought excited her, but any excitement was tempered by what a Sith Master might ask her in return for their knowledge.

What if the lord asked her for Fehl's head? She would not do it? She could not do it?

Would you turn down a Darth's attention? Would you give up everything you have worked for?

She sighed.

She no longer could say for certain that she would not. She…

She stopped.

Four students stood in her way, they seemed to merely be talking, but at the same time, they were blocking her path.

Her eyes narrowed.

Another gambit of Tremel's, or was this Harkun's doing, it certainly lacked the subtlety she came to admire from Tremel.

She smiled gamely.

If this was a trap, there was only one thing to do.

She put on her most winning smile and stepped forward.

Time to spring it.

It would be fun!

The four turned to face her, all burly with sour expressions.

She shifted her feet slightly, making it easier to drop into a fighting stance. She had her war blade with her thankfully.

"No quarrel, gentles," she called out, "Just let me pass and I'll be on my way."

The one in the middle, likely the leader gave her a sheepish look.

"Sorry about this girl, but we can't do that."

She sighed.

"What did I ever do to you guys?"

"It is nothing personal," the leader said, "We just want you to know that."

"We were given this final chance by Overseer Harkun," one of his fellows said, "We're good fighters, but we have not been doing so well here. We take care of you, Harkun promised our own commands in the army."

"We'll never be Sith," the leader said, "But at least we have a chance to survive."

She sighed.

"You should never have trusted Harkun," she said drawing her weapon.

She gave them all a wicked smile.

"I appreciate you knowing your limitations. In recognition of that, I will make this quick, and as painless as possible. I…"

Something hard slammed into her from behind. She staggered forward, falling into the four would-be assassins. Stars exploded before her eyes, as strong arms caught her in a vice like grip.

One wrapped around her throat, she struggled as it tightened, spots danced before her eyes. She stopped fearing that the bruiser might try to break her neck.

The pressure ceased, it was still tight, but no longer constricting her airway.

She closed her eyes and began to murmur under her breath.

"Hold her tight, boys," a new voice said, likely the one who had hit her from behind, the one who was truly behind this little ambush.

She heard the sound of a training saber powering up.

"We're to leave enough of her body for identification purposes. His lordship wants this nice and thorough.

She felt something sharp poke her in the chin, she opened her eyes just enough to see a vibroblade pointed at her throat.

"Any last words, girl?"

"Fehl," she murmured.

The acolyte with the knife chuckled.

"Your hero can't save you now girl, and considering what is going to be left of you when we are all done, he will barely be able to recognize what is left."

She managed a smile.

"No," she said, "Fehl…is behind you."

He started to laugh when he heard the sound of someone clearing their voice over his shoulder, quite loudly.

The five acolytes looked up.

Sure enough, stood the academy's top student, his features mostly hidden by his hooded cloak, and at his side…

Avaryss blinked.

Taya?

"It seems that you were right, blondie," Fehl told her former ally, "Apparently someone did want our dear Avaryss dead.

He gave his lover a concerned look.

"Are you okay, dear?"

She did not respond.

She was concentrating.

The Acolyte behind the ambush glared at the pure blood.

"You can't do anything to us, Fehl; we are all under the academy roof."

He gave them a cold smile.

"You were about to kill my woman," he reminded them, "And since I don't see any holocams on these walls, it is safe to say we're standing in a blind spot.

Fehl chuckled.

"No camera, no witnesses, no witnesses means, no rules."

He grinned from ear to ear.

"You fools have made the biggest mistake of your lives, and the last one too."

"We out number you," the first one to speak said, "You try it, and we'll open the girl's throat before you can reach us."

Avaryss took a deep breath.

She was almost there.

"Threatening her wasn't the mistake," her lover said, "A word to the wise, gentles, if you are going to kill a Sith Sorceress, render her unconscious when you first take her. Don't let her speak, or leave her hands free to gesture. She can cast spells either way."

Fehl laughed triumphantly.

"The biggest mistake of your life was thinking that she needed me to protect her. Isn't that right, my love?"

Avaryss nodded as she finished gesturing.

She cast her spell.

She grabbed at the Acolyte that was holding her. The air around them flared with orange light.

Avaryss heard the man's strangled cry, a cry cut short.

His fellows stared in horror.

The spell was one she had learned from Simus' holocron. Before the eyes of everyone, the effected acolyte went through about a hundred years of decomposition in mere seconds. One moment he was a healthy strong man, the next, he was a dusty skeleton falling to the academy floor.

The skeleton shattered as it hit the floor, its arm snapping off as it did so.

Though winded by the spell, Avaryss did not hesitate, she called her war blade to her hand, while at the same time blasting the assassin's leader with Force lightning.

His three remaining allies might have ended her right there if not for Fehl and Taya. Fehl tossed one into the wall so hard it likely broke half the bones in his body. Taya lunged in with her training saber; she missed her first strike, but followed it up with a savage thrust kick, a kick that, with the aid of the Force, broke its target's neck with a sickening crack.

The two remaining attackers tried to flee, but Avaryss and her allies could not let them.

No witnesses.

No rules.

It only took a moment more, and it was all over.

The three stood in the hall alone, five corpses at their feet.

Avaryss gave Taya an arched look.

"I told you not to help me," she said.

The blonde pouted.

"You're welcome," she said sounding miffed.

"Don't be too hard on her, love," Fehl said, "She heard about this little party, and came and got me."

Avaryss looked between the two of them.

She was grateful, make no mistake, she might have been able to get out of this on her own, but…

…then again, maybe not.

"I should get back before I'm missed," Taya said, "I'm supposed to be helping Nass translate some old Sith text."

The blond gave them both a sly smile.

"If anyone asks you didn't see me."

Avaryss chuckled.

Taya was really not that good of a Sith. Still, she was a good friend.

She nodded at the blonde as she left. She looked over as Fehl scooped two of the slain acolytes. He would not have to carry them far to hide the bodies.

Blind spots like this one were always near a garbage chute, one large enough to fit a body down. To the unenlightened it might seem unusual why there were so many garbage chutes scattered around the academy. To a student, though they were both necessary and a boon.

One never knew when you might have to get rid of some trash.

Avaryss helped her lover take care of the bodies. No one had bothered to respond to the fighting, but that was probably by design more than coincidence.

"I should have died here, Avaryss realized, if it was not for Taya and Fehl, she probably would have.

When the last body was disposed of, her lover wiped his hands idly on his leggings.

"And that is that," he said, "No more problems from that lot."

She nodded grinning, but that grin faded quickly.

She remembered something one of the dead idiots had said.

Something about pleasing a lord.

He could have meant Harkun, but she doubted that.

Was this the same lord that was blocking her final challenge?

If so, what would he or she try next?

She could not even imagine.

Fehl came up to her, his golden eyes radiating concern.

"You okay," he asked, "You're trembling."

She managed a weak laugh.

"It is the adrenalin; I will be feeding off it for the rest of the day."

He grinned and nodded.

"Nothing like a murder to get the blood pumping."

She smirked.

He could be such a brute, but that is what she found most attractive about him.

She liked that he could break another man in half with barely a thought.

Seeing him crush someone, dominate them, it never failed to excite her.

She was quite excited now.

She looked down at her combat suit and frowned.

"Look at me;" she said in a husky voice, "I got _loser dust_ all over me."

He smirked.

"It is not the best look for you," he agreed, "Fortunately, I have a solution."

She gave him a cruel smile.

"You do?"

He nodded.

"I have a private shower in my quarters. I would be willing to let you use it, for a price."

She shivered with excitement.

"A _**high**_ price, I would suspect?"

"Not all that high," he said dismissively, he reached out and stroked her cheek.

She sighed contentedly.

"You just have to let me _join_ you. You may need my aid to get that…deep down clean."

She giggled.

"That wouldn't be so bad," she said innocently, "You could help me get to those, hard to reach places."

"I could indeed."

Avaryss looked at him hungrily, her eyes blazing golden.

In that moment she did not care about overseers or dark lords.

Being here, in this moment mattered.

She and Fehl were a team, hand in glove.

"Let them try to split us apart, she thought.

Let them try.


	33. The Solution

**Chapter 33: The Solution**

It took Avaryss and Fehl almost another month and a half to finally figure out a way out of the problem that they had found themselves in. In that time, the two Sith Acolytes had sent over fifteen of their fellow students to the medical bay, while only receiving burns and bruises for their trouble.

Both of them had grown too strong to be easily stopped, and the Dark Lords interest prevented a more subtle solution from being carried out.

Any other Sith may come to think that all the trouble was not worth it. Most Sith might have come to the conclusion that they should simply accept the way things were and move on.

Avaryss and Fehl were not those types of people.

When someone told them no, they planted their feet, drew their weapons and waited for the consequences. Given their histories neither of them had much respect for traditions that said they had no right to be together, and they had proven too strong in the Force to be cut down by their lessers.

The attacks by the other students only fueled their anger at their peers, making them even more powerful, making them harder to defeat. Fehl continued to train with the Sith Masters on the sly, passing what he had learned to his lover.

The situation was quickly becoming tenuous, it was only a matter of time until one of the lords finally intervened.

Fehl decided to beat them to it.

IOI

It began one night after love, the two lay in each other's arms staring up at the ceiling of Fehl's quarters.

Avaryss sighed, running her fingers down his crimson chest. The lust of the last few weeks had changed into something deeper, something that burned like fire. It was a passion that seemed comfortable, and almost eternal.

She sighed happily.

She never wanted it to end.

"Do you love me?"

The question surprised her. Considering everything they had been doing the last few weeks, it was kind of hard to doubt that.

"You know my feelings," she murmured yawning.

"Yes, but do you **love** me?"

She sat up and looked at him; his expression was as serious as she had ever seen it.

"Yes," she said without hesitation, "I would destroy entire worlds for you."

He chuckled.

"Only worlds?"

She giggled.

"If I had the power of Naga Sadow, I would rip the heart out of a thousand suns. The destruction that would follow would be my gift to you."

He brushed his fingers loving over her face.

"I love you too," he admitted, "Of all things that awaited me on Korriban; I never imagined that _**this**_ would be one of them."

He smiled fondly.

"My Lady of Shadows."

She blushed, his admission made her feel all hot and squishy inside.

"My Darkest Knight," she purred.

His eyes flickered with renewed passion, but he did not act, not yet…

Yet his face remained intense, almost solemn.

The next words he spoke to her nearly made her fall out of the bed.

"Marry me."

Her blue eyes widened. It was rare that they returned to their natural blue color these days, over a year of studying the dark side had caused several physical changes.

One day, she knew, her eyes would stay the blazing gold of a Sith. It was inevitable, the result of a life dedicated to studying the dark side.

Still his words caught her off guard…

 _Marriage!_

 _The masters would_ _ **never**_ _allow it!_

"Are you serious," she asked.

"I would not have said the words if I was not. I **want** you as my wife. I _**want**_ you to be Lady Fehl."

That last part sent a shiver down her spine.

Lady Avaryss Fehl.

The mere thought of it, it made her heart flutter like a baby bird.

Lady Avaryss Fehl.

She couldn't believe it.

"And how are we going to arrange this little match, husband?"

He grinned.

"So you accept?"

"That depends on your plan. Neither Harkun nor Tremel would go for this. If we went to them and told them, they would never accept."

"I do not plan on giving them a choice."

His words gave her chills. What kind of plot had her darkest knight been concocting in his brain as they made their way through the last couple of days?

She was eager to hear him out.

Fehl's holdings on Dromund Kaas, though modest, did come with some powerful friends. In the last week he had reached out to them, through private channels of course.

He had explained the situation, and ordered their help.

"It will take some time to set up, but when everything is ready. It will be possible to have everything we desire."

"But what is it?" she asked, "Tell me the plan?"

He leaned forward and kissed her chastely on the lips.

"Do you accept?" he asked, "Will you become my bride?"

In that moment she found herself thinking of Oridanna, of her father and mother, advising her to marry well, for the good of their family.

Marriage to a pure blood lord on Dromund Kaas would be quite a step up. It would mean giving up her dream to become a lord herself, but as a wife, and perhaps, mother to a powerful new bloodline…

Adaz had expected her to marry, to continue her bloodline, and carry on the legacy of Darth Hecaetus.

Here was her chance.

A Lady of the Sith could do much with that.

She had finally told Fehl about Darth Feer and the Itae system, her desire to destroy the dark lord and claim his holdings for her own.

"Itae is one of the main food and medicine producers in the Empire. Whoever controls the Itae system will have their hand on the pulse of the entire Empire."

"And when the next war comes, we will be in a spot to ask for anything from the Dark Council. Darth Marr and Darth Vengean are not fools, they will offer up anything to make sure their armies have what they need to crush the Republic."

She had given him an arched look.

"We?"

"Why not _**we**_ ," he had replied, "You will find having someone with connections on Dromund Kaas very valuable."

She had nodded.

It _**would**_ make it easier, she would not have struggle as much to build her own power base.

At the time, she had agreed with the idea, now…Fehl had introduced another possibility into her plan.

To bring all of his holdings into her service, and all he asked was what she was already willing to give.

He asked for her heart and body. It was not that hard to give, after all, it was already his.

"You will need to leave Korriban," he informed her, "But that is not as hard as one might think, especially when you have a pure blood's connections. My servants have access to cloaked ships. It will take some time to arrange for one to come here, but it is not impossible. You could leave one morning for the Valley of the Dark Lords and never return."

He smiled slyly.

"Everyone will assume you died in the tombs, meanwhile you will be taken to safety, brought to one of my estates, there, you shall rule as my intended, until I achieve the rank of Sith Lord. When that happens, we shall formally wed, and you shall emerge as Lady Fehl, and our plans to bring about a new order to the Empire will begin."

She felt a deep stirring in her gut, what he was offering; it was almost too good to be true.

Yes, it would mean forgetting her dream for a time, but as a lord and **her** husband, Fehl could complete her training. Who was to say that she would not become a lord of distinction some day in her own right?

She smiled nodding gamely.

They could not win the game under the current system; they needed to change the rules.

If she was to vanish the Dark Lords would finally have no reason to deny Fehl his final test. She did not doubt that he would pass his final trial; no one was a match for him here. Sometimes she doubted that she was a match for him.

When Fehl finally became a lord, the two of them would be indomitable, and she would ensure that both Fehl's blood and the blood of the Lylos family continued. Their children would be so strong in the Force.

They would be the future of an Empire that would one day stretch across the galaxy.

"How long will this take to set up?" she asked, running her fingers down his bare chest.

"A few weeks, it will take that long to make sure the bribes are paid to the right people, but after that. It will be simplicity itself.

He grinned triumphantly.

"Does that mean that you will come? You consent to becoming my bride?"

She smiled slyly.

"How do I know this is not some ploy to get more out of me than usual? Offering me this to get my passions to rise even higher?"

"Because I could not find a better partner, or a lover, with you at my side, we will want for nothing, and the Empire itself will be ours to toy with."

A happy squeal escaped her, as she leaned for a passionate kiss.

"I love it when you talk dirty," she growled.

He smirked.

"How dirty do you wish things to get?"

She sat up, grinning like a hungry predator.

"I'll show you."

IOI

As she awaited word of their plan coming to fruition, Avaryss lapsed back into her normal daily routine. The challenges in the dueling ring had finally slowed, yet the master's still refused to give her any one on one time. She tried to make up for that by reading in the library, studying the ancient texts. Fehl would occasionally have a lesson to pass on to her, but mostly things had begun to return to normal.

By the time that Fehl finally received word that his servants were ready, she was more than prepared to leave the academy behind her.

She had learned everything she could here, everything that they were willing to teach her.

She needed to seek out new challenges.

That night before she was to leave, the two of them sought out the cantina in the Dreshdae space port. It was the closest thing to civilization that Korriban had outside of the Academy and the Dark Council chambers.

They surrendered their war blades as was expected, the owner did not wish to Acolytes getting into swordfights in the middle of his establishment.

Avaryss ordered their drinks, their usual, and returned to her future husband.

The two lovers found a dark corner they snuggled together and went over the final details of Fehl's plan.

"The ship will pick you up at sunrise," he promised, slipping a paper to her under their table.

"What I've just given you is an order from Overseer Tremel, permission to enter the tomb of Marka Ragnos. It will stand up under any scrutiny."

She grinned hungrily.

"So this is it then," she said, she was practically trembling with excitement.

By this time tomorrow, she would be far away from Korriban, far away from the prying eyes of the Dark Lords.

Then all she would have to do was await her intended. She did not doubt that her groom would be joining her soon.

She stroked his face fondly; he looked at her, with a sense of longing that almost broke her heart.

"So…this is the end," he said.

"No," she corrected, "This is just the beginning!"

She giggled excitedly.

"We will have everything we have ever wanted! We…"

He pulled her into his arms, she found herself sitting in his lap as they kissed, almost losing themselves to their passions.

"Have you two mastered the art of breathing through your ears?"

Their kiss broke, both she and Fehl glared up.

Nass and Taya stood there, both grinning like fools.

Fehl pinned them both with a cold stare.

"This is a private party, ladies," he said, "Go away."

Taya started to retreat, but Nass did not follow her.

She continued to grin down at them.

"I wanted to congratulate you both," she said, "anyone else in the Empire might have been killed by now, but you two have endured."

"Thank you," Fehl repeated, "Now you can go away."

She made a face at them.

"No problem," she said with a shrug, "Nothing more disgusting than two people so into each other that they slobber all over each other no matter who is watching."

She shook her head.

Putting two drinks down on the table.

"Here," she said, "I brought your drinks, a peace offering."

She smiled at Avaryss.

"For old times' sake, Farm Girl."

"Thank you Nass," she said giving her friend a soft smile.

Fehl was not so polite. He did not like being interrupted when they were trying to be alone.

"Now," he said, "Go away."

"As you wish," she said bowing to them both, "May the Force serve you well."

Avaryss watched her old ally go. It was an odd thing, in all their time on Butcher's Clearing she never remembered Nass doing anything for a fellow acolyte, not when it did not benefit her directly.

"Hey," Fehl said drawing her attention back.

He was grinning hungrily at her.

"Now," he said.

"Where were we?"

She smiled fiercely.

"Right here I think," she said moving in to kiss his neck.

"Ah," he gasped, "Now I remember."

She laughed.

"I suppose I'm going to have to make this night memorable," she said, "Who knows when we will get the chance to do this again."

"So we should, come here."

They kissed again, their drinks were so forgotten, and no one else interrupted them, not wishing to anger two of the academy's top acolytes.

Eventually, they rose from their seats and collected their weapons. Both were quite lost in their own desires by that point, they almost forgot their war blades at the cantina.

Fehl ran back and got them, being a gentleman he carried both back to the Academy. The two lovers had not been able to take their eyes off each other, and did not until they made it back to his room.

Once there Avaryss surrendered completely to him, she intended to be sure that he would not even look at another female while she was gone. She intended to please him so completely that anyone else would seem a lesser choice.

After an hour of fierce lovemaking they finally fell to sleep. If this was to be their final night, she wanted to remember it always, at least until he came home to Dromund Kass and claimed he as his wife.

Lady Avaryss Fehl.

She went to sleep with that name ringing in her ears, eager to get her new life started.

She realized that she would need to get some rest.

She had a busy morning ahead of her.

IOI

She awoke before dawn, slipping out of Fehl, arms. Checking the time, she realized that she had almost over slept.

She cursed her stupidity.

The ship would not be able to wait long, cloaked or not.

Fehl awoke, his eyes glazed, his voice slurred.

"Wherrre are yooou goooing?"

She smiled at him.

"To meet the ship, love? Remember?"

He nodded, though his eyes remained glazed with sleep.

She kissed him on the forehead.

"We will speak again, as soon as I am able."

She went searching for her clothes. Fehl had been a bit of an animal last night tossing her garments everywhere.

I'll miss that, she thought; hopefully his training will not take much longer.

She dressed quickly, but was unable to find her war blade.

Funny, she thought, Fehl grabbed it last night, I'm sure of it.

Having no time to hunt for it, she picked up a training saber and slipped out of her lover's chambers.

A Sith trooper was marching down the hall as she did. She gave him a sly smile and a cheery wave as she passed.

Trysts were not uncommon in the academy, who knew how many men and women were seen slipping out of their lover's room before dawn.

The only difference here was that she would not be returning.

The ship was no doubt waiting.

She could not afford to be late.

She showed the paper to the gate guard, and he allowed her to pass. Dawn was probably the best time to enter the Valley, most of the creatures there were night feeders, they would be settling into rest in their nests and caves.

Of course, she was not going to the Valley not today. Fehl had told her where to meet the ship. If she hurried she would just make it with time to spare.

She risked one last look at the Academy. How she had struggled long and hard to get here, to try and take her place among the masters.

Now, she had a different path. It would lead to the same destination, and best of all, it was a road she did not have to walk alone.

Lady Avaryss Fehl.

She grinned, eager to start her new life, embrace her new title.

She used the Force to speed her on her way. Soon the location that Fehl described came into view, she thought she saw something shimmering in the sunlight, like a ship, but one made of mirrors.

Just in time, she thought.

Now I will be…

All the air rushed out of her. She collapsed to the ground screaming.

The desert went away, the ship went away, all that was left was shadow…shadow and blood.

She found herself struggling to breathe.

Blood was pouring from her eyes, nose, and mouth, she struggled to rise but the pain doubled her back over. She tried to summon the Force but the pain was too intense, it was like every organ in her body was being stabbed by long sharp knives.

She tried to crawl to the door, but it was no use, her body was going colder and colder by the minute. The pain robbing her of any will to survive.

She collapsed on the bed, her blood pooling around her. She tried to call for help but her voice was barely a whisper.

The darkness swallowed her up, not the darkness of sleep, but something colder hungrier.

She died right there in her room.

Avaryss blinked; once again she in the desert, the ship was right there, only about a hundred paces out of reach.

She reached out with the Force trying to figure out what happened. She…

She shuddered.

Fehl.

She tried to touch him, his presence.

She found _nothing._

It was gone.

Fehl?

She struggled to stand, the bile rising in her throat, and with it a sense of pain and loss so bad it felt like she wanted to rip herself in two.

"No," she murmured trying to breathe.

" _ **FEHL!"**_

" _ **NOOOOO!"**_

A squad of Sith fighters screamed overhead, they flew so low that she was thrown into the air by their passing.

They fired on the cloaked ship, its shields were down; it took all its power to keep the cloaking device working.

The ship exploded violently, and again she was thrown into the air.

She landed with a pained thud, her arm breaking on impact.

She continued to wail, unable to contain her rage her grief!

 _ **He was gone!**_

 _ **Her love was gone!**_

" _ **AIIIIEEEEEEEE!"**_

The wreckage of the ship blasted away, so great was the power of her Force scream.

She tried to rise only to be shot from behind.

The blue ripple of a stun blast on its highest setting, three stun blasts to be precise.

She collapsed onto the stony ground.

Booted feet surrounded her; she looked up and saw Tremel and Harkun looking down on her.

"Oh Acolyte," the dark skinned overseer murmured shaking his head.

"What have you done?"

She had no answer; the world was retreating before her.

All she knew was that Fehl was dead. Her ship was destroyed.

Harkun sneered down at her.

"Get this murderess to Inquisitor Zyn," he said excitedly.

"He will get a confession out of her."

Avaryss whimpered; she tasted her own blood.

 _Murderess?_

 _What…What did Harkun mean?_

 _ **Who** had she murdered?!_

She felt arms grab her pull her to her feet, a fresh blast of pain lanced from her broken arm.

She cried out, only to be struck from behind by the butt of a rifle.

She fell down, down into the dark.

Her last thoughts were of a world that would never be,

Lady Avaryss Fehl.

She was gone, dead, like the man she loved.

The darkness claimed her.

Avaryss would be joining her soon.


	34. Torture

**Chapter 34: Torture**

 _Do not thing about Parck_

She repeated the phrase over and over again, trying to drown out the pain _._ Electricity arced off the interrogation table as Inquisitor Zyn continued her questioning.

She remembered what had had happened to the Acolyte that she had questioned, how he had ended up being executed for something he had not done.

Don't think about that! You had nothing to do with Fehl's death, stay focused on that!

She could make it through this, she could endure!

When the voltage finally stopped she slumped back against the table. Her breath came in labored wheezes. A mix of sweat and blood ran down her body.

Do not think about Parck, her savaged mind repeated.

Don't think about him.

She had lost track of how long she had been here, it could have been hours or days. Zyn kept her powers in check with a steady flow of drugs, preventing her from accessing the Force in any way. Otherwise she may have simply drained his life energy and tried to escape. They had begun her interrogation with a class four truth serum, and it had worked famously, she had given up her darkest secrets and desires, yet, still…the Inquisitor still did not cease.

 _This is not about the_ _ **truth,**_ _remember,_ the dark voice within chided _, it is about_ _ **power,**_ _and finding someone to blame. This interrogation is because you thought to cheat the system; you did not play the game._

Now…you need to answer for it.

A sound between a sob and a giggle escaped her lips.

…So much for the grand destiny of Avaryss of the Sith.

Fingers seized her long hair, pushing her head up, a clamp emerged from the table, pinning her head in place.

Inquisitor Zyn stood before her, a pleased smile on his rotund face.

"Still with us Acolyte, good, we still have much ground to cover."

She almost sobbed, imagining what he would likely do next.

Though she knew it was pointless, she said the phrase she had said many times since waking up under the man's care.

"I didn't murder Fehl," she whimpered.

"I didn't."

Zyn shrugged, he actually looked like he might have some sympathy for her, maybe just a smidgen.

He sighed.

"Evidence suggests otherwise Acolyte. You were the last one to see Acolyte Fehl alive. You were observed leaving his quarters before sunrise."

The Inquisitor chuckled.

"Young people and your coupling, perhaps this time, you should have jest left well enough alone."

Zyn made his way back to his console, to check her vitals, make sure she could survive the next round of questioning.

"The evidence is circumstantial, but it is strong. Traces of the poison were found on your skin, but that may have simply been the result of the time you spent with the victim."

 _Victim_ , Avaryss thought, he meant Fehl, her lover…the man who was to be her husband, perhaps one day the father of their children.

She sobbed weakly.

Zyn looked up at her, his face bland.

"This would go a lot easier if you just gave me a signed confession. If you admit to your crimes, you will be permitted to die painlessly. I have injection here that will make sure that you do not suffer. It will be like taking nap on a warm summer day."

He smiled broadly.

"All you have to do is _confess,_ and the pain will stop."

She pinned him with her eyes, what he was asking, part of her wanted it. Part of her just wanted the pain to stop, but at the same time, her desire to live continued to burn…

…and that desire was being fueled by anger.

She had done _nothing_. She would never have hurt Fehl, but someone did, and that someone was here in the Academy.

She wanted to live. She wanted to find them.

She wanted to make them pay!

Despite all the drugs whose purpose was to keep her calm, that one thought remained.

Survive, and find the one responsible, it was the only thing left for her to do.

She shook her head, doing her best to keep her eyes one the Inquisitor.

When she spoke it was with a voice that was both clear and calm.

"I…I didn't do it," she repeated.

Zyn sighed.

"Then I suppose it is back to work then.

He pressed a button on his console.

Electricity arced through the table.

Avaryss convulsed as the voltage struck her, stars exploded before her eyes. She clenched her teeth, trying very hard not to bite her own tongue.

This was just the beginning, she knew.

It would not be over soon.

IOI

Eventually, the pain did stop, how long it had been, she was not sure.

She groaned weakly.

She must have lost consciousness, but could not remember when that had happened.

She opened her eyes and was confronted by a hologram of the most grisly of scenes.

Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes widened with horror!

"Not a very pleasant picture is it, Acolyte?" Zyn asked her, "Still…there is still a sense of artistry about it, I suppose."

The Inquisitor laughed lightly.

"Have a look, admire your handiwork."

The image was of Fehl, lying dead in his chambers. The bed was a bloody mess, her love's body twisted in death, no doubt from whatever painful contortions that had ended his life.

She wanted to look away, but she couldn't the table kept her head forward, her eyes focused on the scene of the crime.

Fehl, she thought, tears running down her cheeks.

No.

A wave of grief washed over her, grief and anger, it must have been strong because it almost overwhelmed the drug induced haze that Zyn had put her in. For the briefest of moments, she felt the dark side return to her, return in all its brutal glory. She struggled against her bonds; the metal began to bend at her mental command.

The Inquisitor noticed and shook his head.

"No," he murmured, "No…I'm afraid we can't have that.

He pressed a button on the console.

Something sharp jabbed her in the back of the neck. Again a wave of apathy washed over her, stealing away her anger, making her docile.

She glared at the Inquisitor. Trying with all her will not to look at what had happened to her love.

"I…I'm…"

"Yes, Acolyte," Zyn said politely.

"I'm going…going to kill you, Zyn," she managed, "Slowly…and painfully."

He chuckled.

"Oh I don't think so; in fact I would say that it is quite unlikely that you will make it out of here."

He turned off the holo of murder scene, the one and only thing she could say that she was grateful for.

Fehl had been a juggernaut in life, a colossus.

He did not deserve to have such an ignoble end broadcast for all to see.

"I must admit," Zyn said, "Your reaction surprises me Acolyte. I've had many murderers on my table, and their reactions have usually always been the same. Despite the denials they spew, most Sith revel in what they accomplish. Seeing a rival brought so low, pleases them, despite their words to the contrary."

He smiled gamely.

"What happened Acolyte? Was possessing all that Fehl had not enough for you, or did you decide that you couldn't wait? Did you kill him so he would not have the chance to change his mind?"

She wanted to shout and scream at him, but the drugs that he had pumped into her prevented even that.

All that she could do was whimper.

"I loved him," she moaned, "We were going to get married."

Zyn nodded.

"Yes, I've heard that. You were to be sent off world to wait for him to finish his training. I'm sure it was all very romantic."

She blinked.

"How? How did you find out? We…we were so careful?"

Zyn shrugged.

"Someone talked, Acolyte. Someone _**always**_ does."

A new holo appeared before her eyes, a block of text began scrolling before her.

She read it, in spite of the pain she was in.

Her eyes widened.

"What is _**this?"**_

"Your confession," Zyn explained, "It was written from what we know about your little plan. There are some gaps, of course, but we trust that you can fill those in for us."

She read the words, her horror building with each line.

Her "confession" stated that she had planned to kill Fehl from the beginning. That she, an overly ambitious girl from the fringes of the Empire, had taken advantage of his inexperience. When she had realized she had a chance to become a lady, she had talked him into the marriage plan, but had made sure that he would die before she ever reached Dromund Kaas. Once there, she would make an alliance with one of his underlings, and using them for witnesses, claim that she and Fehl had already been married, and claim all that he had owned.

It was an audacious plan, if she had heard that another Acolyte had plotted it, she would have said the girl worthy of the most painful of deaths.

"This isn't true," she moaned.

"I didn't plan this, any of it."

"The poison came from your sword, acolyte," Zyn said, "It was coated from hilt to blade."

Her head spun.

How had heard blade gotten poison on it?

"It was synox, a poison used by the Assassins of the GenoHaradan," he informed her, "It is a rather quick and painful toxin, both colorless and odorless. The pain it causes makes it extremely useful on Force users. If it is detected early, it can be burned away.

He gave her a conspiratorial smirk.

"Had Fehl been awake and aware, he could have dispelled its effects, but you made sure that he was not didn't you. I'm sure you kept him more than occupied while the poison took effect."

Zyn chuckled.

"That is what happened, isn't it, you clever little minx."

Avaryss shook her head.

She…she had never even heard of this poison before, poisons were not really her thing, but…but how could it get on her war blade? It never left her side. She…

She blinked.

"I didn't poison the blade, but I think I know **where** it was done," she said quickly, "I was forced to surrender it when we went to the cantina, ask the man at the door, the one who took Fehl and my weapons, perhaps he knows how this happened."

"An intriguing idea, Acolyte, but pointless, as I'm sure you know. We sent troopers to investigate the cantina, to see if we could find the source of the poison. The man who took your blade did not show up for work the next morning. He was found dead, in his room in Dreshdae.

Zyn shook his head.

"You did fairly well at covering your tracks, if only you had made sure to have an alibi for when Acolyte Fehl was killed, you might have gotten away with it, but then again, you should not have needed one. You would have been long gone, if we had not heard about the ship that tried to slip through the academy's defenses last night."

Avaryss shuddered.

Had one of Fehl's minions talked, or had the one that Fehl used to get the message out talked. Either way, the leak had gotten back to the overseers, or perhaps one of the dark lords that were watching what was going on between her and Fehl. They had, no doubt, made sure she would not have been able to escape. She would have gotten in trouble for attempting to flee the academy, but any such punishment would have been minimal compared to the murder charge she now faced.

She took a deep breath trying to think through the drug induced haze.

Clearly someone had gone to a lot of trouble to set this up.

The only question was…who?

"This synox stuff, it is rare, hard to come by?"

"Not at all," Zyn said, "We Inquisitors keep samples here, as I said, the pain the poison causes is quite intense, even in low doses. Even after a single dose of synox, most prisoners will tell us anything in exchange for the antidote, just to make sure that the pain stops."

Avaryss nodded. Her brain working as fast as it could under the situation.

Zyn chuckled.

"You can drop the clueless act, Acolyte, you spent enough time with the Inquisitors on _Butcher's Clearing_ I've been told. Surely you came to know what toxins we keep in reserve there. Had you chosen something more exotic, it might have led back to you sooner. Synox was a good choice, well played.

"If only we had not learned about your escape ship. You might even have gotten away with it.

Avaryss growled.

Zyn had an answer for everything it seemed.

The evidence against her was circumstantial, but it could be spun to look much stronger. At this point, her execution would look like justice had been done.

Of course, this was not about justice, it was about _**Sith**_ Justice. Fehl had had many dark lords interested in him, for such a promising young prospect to die so ignobly, would have been an insult to those lords.

That fact that the poisoner had been caught so easily, equally so, the timing of all this worked against her. The Dark Lords were looking for someone to blame, and here she was, her attempted flight only made her look more guilty.

They would not execute her because she had poisoned Fehl; they would execute her because she had gotten caught! Because someone always had to get caught, the guilty had to be punished.

That was the way of the Sith. The citizens of the Empire expected it.

Zyn looked down at his console; an evil smile came to lips.

"Ah," he said, "This looks promising,"

She shuddered.

She did not like the sound of that.

"This is a most interesting chemical mixture," he told her, "I'm sure after an hour or so under its influence you will be more than willing to give a full confession."

She struggled against her bonds, trying to free herself… no avail.

She felt the needle go into her neck.

She gasped, her eyes bulged.

She thought getting shocked hurt.

She was wrong.

The world turned red.

She screamed and screamed.

Her torment continued.

IOI

The pain ended, and again she found herself back on the Inquisitor's table.

She tried to catch her breath, but…she couldn't. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't.

It…it felt like she had just run a race.

"Can't…can't breathe," she gasped.

"Inquisitor," she heard a familiar voice say, "What is happening."

She heard Zyn chuckle.

"Your victim is having a reaction to one of the drugs I've used," he told her, "Pay it no mind, Acolyte; it will make her more cooperative, trust me."

Avaryss wheezed.

She looked down on who had spoken.

"Ta…Taya," she said.

The blonde gave her a cold and imperious look. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hello, Avy," she said, "Looks like you have gotten yourself in a bit of trouble."

"He…help me," Avaryss wheezed, "puh…please!"

Taya sniffed.

"Help yourself, Avy," she said, "Confess; I do not have all day."

Avaryss whimpered.

 _No…this could not be!_

 _Taya was her friend!_

 _Tay,_ she wanted to cry.

 _Help me, please!_

The blonde paced before her, looking as cold and implacable as Avaryss had ever seen her.

"Murdering one of your betters is beneath you, Avy. I thought you smarter than that."

"Di…didn't kill…Fe..Fehl. I…I…loo…loved him."

Her friend shook her head.

"I'm giving you one final chance, Avy," she said, "Admit what you did. I'll make sure that Zyn goes easy on you."

Avaryss shook her head.

"D…didn't do it."

Taya hissed.

"Fine," she said, "the hard way then.

She raised her hands.

Avaryss tried to brace herself.

Force lightning tore through her.

She cried out, but only barely.

It felt like something was broken in her, her lungs weren't working right.

Black spots danced before her vision.

 _I'm dying,_ she thought.

 _Perhaps…that is for the best._

Taya continued to glare at her.

She moved closer so that only Avaryss could hear her.

"I can't hold back, Avy," she murmured, "I'm sorry. I need to pass this trial. Tremel is starting to worry about my commitment, try to understand."

Avaryss wheezed. Her entire body hurt!

She had never realized how painful Force lightning was until this moment.

It was something she would never forget.

Taya reached up to her bound arm, the one she had broken in the fall, she had barely felt **that** pain; she had been too focused on the others.

Taya squeezed.

Another strangled cry escaped Avaryss' lips.

Her eyes found Taya's, the blonde looked sad.

"I'm sorry," she mouthed.

She stepped back and gave her friend another blast of Force lightning.

Avaryss convulsed on the table unable to escape, unable to catch her breath.

When the lightning stopped she sagged in her restraints.

 _Let it end,_ she thought, _Great Emperor hear your servant's prayer._

 _Please…let I end!_

"Be careful, there Acolyte," she heard Zyn warn, "Her vitals do not look good."

"She is dying?" Taya asked.

"We need a confession first," Zyn reminded her, "Please try and extract one."

Despite the pain, despite the lack of breath, Avaryss giggled.

"Co…cowards," she spat.

Zyn and Taya looked at her.

"What did you say, Avy?" her friend asked.

Avaryss looked up, her eyes blazing with hate and contempt.

"So…so afraid of the…the Dark Lords, so afraid of…of their displeasure, Yo…you could forge a confession if you…you wished."

She shook her head. She was hyperventilating now, but she did not care.

She would get her last words out….

…Even if it killed her.

"I won't give…give you what…what you want."

She laughed.

"A…A true Sith knows…knows no fear. I die a Sith!"

She glared at her tormentors.

"You…you both **disgust** me. You…you…Can't…can't… _breathe!_

She slumped against her bindings.

She heard a steady tone from Zyn's console.

She knew that sound, knew what it meant.

Her heart had stopped.

She felt herself starting to drift away.

The world slid into blackness.

She started to let go.

 _Catch me, Fehl,_ she thought.

 _Catch me, Daddy._

Everything was fading, but then…she felt a sharp pain in her neck.

The tone turned to a harsh beeping. Zyn had saved her…for the moment, but she was in a bad way.

Too late, she thought, far too late, you fat fool!

I _want to die!_

 _To spite you and the rest of our order, I **will** die!_

The world started to come back, but she was no longer capable of talking.

She was fading quickly, into mere unconsciousness or death, she could not say.

She heard the door to the Chamber open; she heard angry voices, and the snap hiss of a lightsaber. Her world of shadows filled with ruby light. It turned everything the color of blood.

She tried to look up but her vision was fuzzy. She could not focus.

She heard Zyn stammer.

"My…my lord! I…"

" _ **STOP,"**_ a commanding voice shouted, "This acolyte is under _**my**_ protection. If she dies, _**you**_ die!"

"Get the medical droids in here," she heard Zyn shout, his voice filling with panic, **"Medical droids to the interrogation room!"**

Avaryss shook her head.

She…what was happening?!

Was this all a dream?

A feverish dream to be saved before she finally passed on?

No, she…she did not think so.

She tried to look up. She tried to see the face of her rescuer.

That voice…she thought…that voice.

I _**know**_ that voice.

She tried to remember, but it was too late.

Everything went black.

Avaryss faded away.


	35. Revenge

**Chapter 35: Revenge**

Word of Avaryss' arrest and subsequent survival spread through the Sith Academy like wildfire. Though the arrest was common knowledge, the overseers wanted the students to know that a guilty student had been caught and punished, and that they could not hide from the rules of the Academy. Her rescue was meant to be classified, the circumstances were not meant to be known. Of course the arrival of a dark lord was not easily silenced, and soon the whole academy knew what had happened. No one knew exactly which dark lord had stepped up and placed the Acolyte under his protection, and as a result dozens of wild theories filled the hall.

One claimed that it was Darth Thanaton, that the master of the pyramid of knowledge had learned that Avaryss had discovered something in the archives, and wished that knowledge preserved. Another student claimed it was Darth Vawrawn; that he had had blood ties to Fehl and learned that Avaryss was carrying his relation's child. Another rumor claimed that it was Darth Baras; that Avaryss had secretly been the daughter of this sister, Darth Eckage, and he wished to preserve her legacy and take the girl as his apprentice. Someone even said that it was the Emperor's Wrath; that the Emperor, himself, had taken note of the farm girl's accomplishments and had plans for her.

All these theories and more bounced back and forth across the Academy's walls. No one knew for certain what was true, no one had seen the dark lord enter or leave; his guards had shielded him from prying eyes. The only one who knew the truth had been Inquisitor Zyn and he had been placed on leave. Anyone else might have been executed for threatening a dark lord's claim, but Tremel had spoken up in the man's defense, he had only been carrying out his orders, and the rules of the Academy, and no one had informed anyone that the girl had a patron watching over her.

The dark lord must have agreed because Zyn was allowed to take some time off and return to Dromund Kaas. The man would only be allowed to live if he respected the dark lords' desire for anonymity. Zyn had accepted without complaint, commenting that it had been too long since he had visited the capital. Jailor Gnash took over for him in his absence, dealing with any problems and interrogations. The old Sith welcomed the duty. He enjoyed his work.

Avaryss knew none of this; while all this was going on she was floating in a kolto tank, being tended by the academy's medical droids. They kept her in a medically induced coma while they worked to repair the damage done during the interrogation. For four days she had been at Zyn's mercy, a new academy record, but that was only because the lords that had been watching Fehl demanded that his murderess suffer for her actions.

Understandably those lords were not happy with their fellow's choice to act. Schemes were already being formed to deal with the girl, but they would need to wait, at least until the girl's protector chose to reveal himself.

No on in the Empire wished to provoke an unknown enemy, the secrecy of the whole thing suggested either a Darth of very high rank, or a Dark Council member, provoking either was not something done lightly. Plus, given the attention that Fehl had won, many wondered if the girl had not acted alone, perhaps she had even had… _authorization_ to end the pure blood's life. She might even have been ordered to do it.

The Emperor's silence continued; no one had seen his Voice in years. It was said that his Hands and his Wrath remained active, but they had always remained behind the scenes.

Had the Emperor taken a hand in these events? Was the girl _**that**_ special that _the master of them all_ might have intervened on her behalf, perhaps he had even _**ordered**_ the death of Fehl?

Such orders _had_ been handed down before.

It was no secret that the girl and Fehl had been involved; they had not kept their tryst secret. Any spy on Korriban could have confirmed that for his master or mistress. It was said that the Emperor never took a new servant without asking first that they carry out an act of extreme loyalty. The Empire was full of tales of husbands slaying wives, children slaying parents, and even parents executing one of their own children to earn a spot at the Emperor's side.

 _Was_ _ **this**_ _what had happened to young Fehl?_

To bask in the Emperor's glory was an honor. It was said that the Emperor had the power to make a servant _Immortal,_ free of ever knowing old age or disease. Such an honor was not easily rejected. Perhaps this Avaryss had been picked to become one of their master's new hands, it was usually a post reserved only for pure bloods, but exceptions had been made in the past when the Sith was truly powerful.

Such talk changed Avaryss' prospects considerably; her name was now on many lips. This girl, trained in one of the Fury Academies, but in spite of that, said to be a sorceress of great potential, and perhaps…incredible power.

Eyes fell upon Korriban, their watchful gaze now directed at the medical bay there. For the moment, no one would act, they would wait, see what came out of this.

This Avaryss was protected.

Many wanted to know…by whom, and how they might turn that knowledge to their advantage.

For another week Avaryss remained in a kolto tank, but finally, after days of dormancy, her body began to twitch, the droids scanned her brain waves, determining that she was finally coming back to the world of the living.

Word was sent to the overseers, and to the many spies who were watching.

The lords settled in to watch the next act of the play that was taking place before them.

The curtain was rising.

Avaryss was again ready to take the stage.

IOI

She awoke to the sound of heavy mechanical breathing. Air being taken in, and out with machine like proficiency.

 _HOOOOOO_

 _HRRRRRRR_

 _HOOOOOO_

 _HRRRRRRR!_

Avaryss opened her eyes; she recognized the gray metal walls of the medical bay, the horizontal light panels built into the walls.

She groaned and stretched.

It…it felt like she been asleep forever.

A tall spindly medical droid stood over her.

"Do not make any sudden movements, mistress," it cautioned, "Your body has had a terrible shock."

She glared at the droid.

She didn't speak, her tongue felt strange, her mouth equally so, but if she could have spoken she would not have dignified the droids comment with an answer.

 _It was not a shock,_ she wanted to say.

 _It was dying._

She shook her head.

I should be dead.

How she had almost died, she didn't know, but she had, her memories were fuzzy.

No matter, she would remember soon enough.

She finally managed to sit up, a wave of dizziness and nausea almost put her right back down.

She closed her eyes and focused.

 _I will not give into this,_ she thought.

 _I will not!_

Slowly, the world stopped spinning, she looked around the medical bay, she was alone, just her and the droids, that and the sound of heavy mechanical breathing.

What is that?

Where is it coming from?

She looked down at her body.

She was clad in a simple med center wrap; she saw no bruising or burns. She looked at her formerly broken arm, there was some scarring, but these were not simply random cuts, she guessed they were from surgery, probably to repair the broken bones.

Everything tasted and smelled of kolto, the healing liquid saturated the air down here.

She shook her head again.

She must have been in the tank for quite some time.

She looked up at the medical droids, three spindly things with large round optic sensors.

"Are you in any pain, mistress?" the first asked.

"We can provide a sedative if you desire?"

She shook her head, no.

 _No, she did not need a sedative!_

 _She needed to get out of here!_

Her jaw hurt, she reached up to rub it, wondering if that fool, Zyn had broken it during her questioning. She…

She froze.

When she touched the lower part of her face, all she felt was metal!

Metal…and tubes!

Her eyes widened, the heavy mechanical breathing became more labored.

WHEEEEEOOO!

HRRRRRRRRRR!

WHEEEOOOO!

HRRRRRRRRRRR!

One of the droids moved in closer.

"Please remain calm, mistress," it cautioned, "Let the respirator do its work, it will make sure you have enough air."

She looked at the droid, she…she…

What…what had they done!

Her breathing became more labored!

Stupid rust buckets, she thought.

 _WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO ME!_

 _She tried to tear the heavy metal thing off._

 _ **Get it off me!**_

 _ **GET IT OFF!**_

 _ **I NEED AIR!**_

The droid's arm reached out to stop her, it was all she could do to keep from trying to leap on it and smash it to scrap.

"Do not remove the respirator, mistress," it warned, "Your lungs suffered chemical damage. The kolto mist and oxygen being fed by the mask will aid your recovery."

She stopped struggling, tried to think, trying hard not to panic.

She looked at the droid, and for the first time, she tried to speak.

"PERRRRRRRMMM!"

She blinked.

Her voice sounded strange coming through a droid vocoder. It sounded more high-pitched, nasally.

Relax, the dark voice within said, let the mask help your breathing, don't struggle…now try again, speak softly and calmly.

She took a deep breath and tried again.

"Izzzzz…Isss eet….it…permanent?"

"Mistress?" the droid said tilting its head.

"Massk," she said, "Is it…permanent?"

"Ah," the droid said, finally understanding what she was asking.

"No, mistress, the mask is **not** permanent. Your lungs were damaged, but not so much that they will not heal with time, treatment, and rehabilitation."

Hearing that calmed her somewhat, she had no desire to start cutting away parts of herself, not yet anyway.

"If mistress desires," the droid behind the first said, "It can be made permanent, the surgery would not be difficult."

She shook her head no.

"No," she said, "Unnecessary."

The droids accepted that answer and backed off.

Good.

Her father had been lucky to make through the war intact. She had seen plenty of war veterans back on Oridanna with cyborg eyes, ears, and limbs.

It might have been vanity on her part, but she was not ready to join _those_ people, not yet.

She happened to _like_ her body the way it was, Fehl liked it too…he would be disappointed if she…she…

She blinked.

She…she…

Fehl?

For the briefest of moments, she had forgotten what had happened.

Fehl…he…he was dead!

A whimper escaped her, it sounded strange through the respirators voice circuits.

The droids continued to watch her.

She thought of lashing out, of smashing them to junk in a fit of rage, but as soon as the thought took shape it slid away like a drop of water on an armored plate.

She looked at the machines; surely they knew what had happened.

She remembered being questioned, tortured, her…her heart had stopped.

"How long have I been here?" she inquired.

"You have been under our care for a week," the first droid said, "Your injuries were quite extensive."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Am I healed?"

"You are functional again," the third droid, finally said, "there was some damage, your nervous system was in the early stages of failure when you were brought to us. We have done all we could, but there will be some permanent damage."

"What type of damage?" she demanded.

"Your eyes have developed oversensitivity to light; you will likely need to wear a hood or protective lenses in bright environments, loud sounds may also prove debilitating, in battle you may wish to wear sound bafflers.

"We can provide you with both, should you require it," the third droid said helpfully.

She nodded, so far, not so bad.

A Sith that needed to stay out of bright light; that was nothing if not ironic.

"Your blood is currently saturated with several Sith poisons; they nearly caused cardiac arrest during your interrogation. We have done what we could to neutralize them, but they will only leave your system with time. The remaining side effects are not fatal, but it will take time to burn them out of your system.

"Effect of the poisons," she asked.

"Lack of attention, you may also feel a sense of disconnectedness in overly emotional situations. You will feel emotion, but any reaction to stimuli will be muted. It may feel like someone you know is experiencing the act, not you.

Avaryss nodded, still not quite sure what the droid meant.

Zyn had been using something to keep her calm during the interrogation, some kind of anti-stim. She suspected this was what caused her heart to stop.

"Will I recover?" she asked.

"With time," the three droids, said in unison.

"How much time?"

The three droids looked at each other, comparing notes.

"Four to six months," they said again in unison.

Avaryss cursed under her breath.

They expected her to wear this mask for half a year!?

Forger that, she thought.

She would fix this now!

She sprang from the bed tearing off the medical wrap. She wore nothing, beneath, but could care less.

Modesty in front of group of medical droids was the last thing on her mind.

She had places to go.

…And someone who seriously deserved to die.

The first droid sidled up beside her.

"Mistress, you not been cleared to leave this facility."

She gave it an angry look. It backed away like a good Sith droid.

She almost smirked.

She did enjoy even programmed fear.

"I'm clearing myself," she growled, looking around.

"Do I have any clothes to change into?"

The second droid gestured, behind her hanging on a rack was a set of black training clothes, along with a hooded robe.

Despite the heavy respirator, and how much it hurt wearing it, she smiled.

Someone had thought ahead, it seemed.

She dressed quickly, finding that even her war blade had been left behind, its pommel polished to a mirror shine.

She was about to touch it, but then remembered how Fehl had died.

She jerked her hand back quickly.

"The weapon has been fully sanitized for your use, mistress," the second droid said, "Any foreign elements have been eliminated.

She reached out with the Force, trying to sense danger.

She felt nothing.

Still she did not deny a brief twinge of fear as she picked the weapon up.

She looked down at the sword, she had been so proud when Adaz had given it to her, and now that pride was tainted. Someone had used it to ignobly murder the man she loved, coated it with poison.

Her eyes narrowed.

Fehl deserved better.

He deserved to be avenged!

She drew it, dropped into a fighting stance, and gave the weapon a quick spin, her movements were sluggish, far slower than she remembered, but they would be adequate for what she was about to do.

She sheathed her weapon and turned to the droids.

"You better prepare another bed," she said coldly, "You're about to get a new patient."

"We are ready to assist anyone in need, mistress," the first droid said, "We…"

She did not stick around to hear anything more.

Without another word she strode out of the medical room. She shook her head at the droids suggest of her recovery time.

Four to six months.

She would do it in less than four to six minutes!

The thought sent a warm shiver down her spine.

All she needed was victim…and she knew the perfect one.

A certain blonde weakling was about to provide her with the means to restore herself.

Her hands clenched, she had to force herself to keep calm enough for her respirator to do its work.

I won't need it much longer.

Not after I have fed!

IOI

She made her way down the back halls of the academy; no one stopped or challenged her. She must have looked quite the sight in her black robes and heavy breathing mask. She had needed to pull up her hood after only a few moments, even the standard luminescence of the academy now hurt her eyes.

She managed to catch her reflection in one of the reflective surfaces along the wall.

The sight did not please her.

She looked, haggard, worn out; her once blazing golden eyes had turned dull dried-blood crimson, yellow flecks remained, but they no longer radiated the power they once had. The heavy gray breathing mask covered her jaw, and up to the bridge of her nose, it fit so tight she thought she could see dried blood where it attached to her face.

The sight of it angered her.

If Fehl had seen her like this…?

No!

Do not go there, not anymore!

He is gone, your plans with him shattered, any possible future forgotten!

She nodded grimly.

When everything had been taken, all that remained was anger and retribution…retaliation.

First, she needed to be whole again, that meant fixing this, and that meant finding Taya.

She drifted into the shadows, wraith-like.

She almost chuckled.

Today, she would be death itself.

She made her way to Taya's quarters, there were several blind spots along the way, the perfect place for a…reunion, and a well-placed waste chute to dispose of any…left overs.

Not that there would be much left over, a dusty red tunic and leggings covered with ash.

Then…she would be whole again, free to seek out the one that had left her in such a state.

Through Victory, my chains are broken.

The Force shall set me free!

She found the perfect place to lay in wait.

Taya often returned to her room before evening class, the girl enjoyed a nap during the hottest period of the day, provided she was not out in the Valley of the Dark Lords, but that was unlikely.

Taya did not have ambition to go hunting through the tombs for prestige, not alone, and if Nass did happen to be with her, she would just have to drain her too.

No witnesses…no rules.

She laughed, resulting in a coughing fit.

She settled in to wait.

It would not be long.

Her quarry would be along soon.

IOI

By the time that the blonde did finally show, she was alone.

Avaryss grinned from ear to ear, as much as she could wearing the respirator.

She had chosen her hiding spot well. One of the power conduits here was always buzzing too loudly. The staff could have fixed it, but the overseers had them leave it be.

Anything that annoyed the students could be useful in helping them focus their power. Today, it had been even more useful; it masked the in and out sound of Avaryss' new breath mask.

The blonde walked along like she didn't have a care in the world.

The sight annoyed her former ally.

The kriffing witch tortured me, and now she parades around like nothing happened!

Avaryss growled.

I thought we were friends!

Well…at least Taya could be useful to her one last time.

No room for friends within the Sith Order.

Avaryss started to rise from where she had been hiding.

"Taya?" she growled.

The blonde stopped.

"Yes? What do you…"

She paused.

Avaryss stepped out of the shadows, let her get a good look at her.

"What do you think, Tay?" she said coldly, "Admire your handiwork, yours and Zyn's."

Recognition finally blossomed on the blonde's face, between the hood and the mask; she probably did not recognize her old friend.

"Avy? I…?"

Avaryss had heard enough.

She struck.

She seized the blonde and shoved her hard against the wall. The back of Taya's head struck with some force, leaving the taller girl dazed.

Avaryss began the spell, she had heard old ally in death grip.

She almost laughed.

In fact, it was going to be a death grip.

"All she needed was a few seconds, and it would all be over.

Taya would wither like a flower before her eyes. She would mummify alive from the power of the dark side, she would die and Avaryss would use that power to heal herself, just like she had done back on Butcher's Crossing. The effect here would be more localized than that death field had been but the result would be the same.

She would be whole again.

She would be healed.

Taya's eyes widened in horror, she had seen her friend cast spells before, she probably even recognized some of the words, she was dazed, too surprised to defend herself…

"Noooo," she gasped, "Avy! Please don't! I didn't mean..?"

Avaryss nearly shouted the last word of the incantation.

Taya let out a straggled cry, expecting the death magic to wash over her any minute and leave her just a withered husk, or perhaps, a pile of ash.

Avaryss reveled in that, yet, surprisingly, she could not feel the other girl's terror, only the merest whisper of emotion.

Taya closed her eyes and sobbed.

She…

She…

A whimpered cry escaped the blonde's lips.

Then…she…opened her eyes, she looked at Avaryss, her friend still gripped her shoulders, but that was it.

No dark power bloomed from Avaryss' fingers, no Sith sorcery engulfed her, healing her damaged lungs.

The two women just stood there, both looking shocked.

Avaryss' eyes widened.

 _What?_

 _What had gone_ _ **wrong?**_

She reached out to the dark side, tried to summon her power.

She felt almost nothing, normally the force sang through her like a gale, now…it felt like a soft whisper.

She could feel the darkness pulsing, but it was as if she was looking at it through a window, unable to touch it, unable to draw on it.

Her breathing suddenly turned labored, her respirator responding to her disbelief.

Taya looked at her, realizing that she was not dead.

Before Avaryss could act, she shoved her, putting both her own strength and the Force into it.

Her old ally flew back and hit the wall, starts exploded before Avaryss' eyes.

She sank to her knees, trying to clear away the dizziness.

She raised her hand, trying to grab Taya, to snap her neck for somehow resisting the power of the dark side spell.

Again, nothing happened, she…

Taya rubbed her neck, like wiping away something that had brushed against her skin.

Then she pinned her would be murderer with a cold imperious stare.

Avaryss said nothing; there was nothing left to say.

Taya drew her double bladed saber, the weapon flared to life charged to full power, killing power.

Avaryss did not even bother drawing her own weapon.

What was the point?

It seemed that Zyn had done much worse than scar her physically, those foul potions he had injected into her. The ones he used to keep her calm.

He had overdosed her on them, and now…she was seeing the full effect.

He had done something to her connection to the Force, she could feel it, but she was cut off from it.

She could not call on her powers, not a spell, lightning or even the barest of telekinetic shoves.

She sighed; the sound that came out of the mask was a pathetic wheeze.

She lowered her hood, and offered Taya her neck.

The blonde stood before her, unsure of what she was seeing.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Avaryss shook her head.

"Finish me," she said, "Kill me."

Taya stood there, stupefied.

"I thought you wanted to kill me?" she said, "Why am I not a pile of dust?"

"The Force is gone," Avaryss almost whimpered, "I can't touch it, can't defend myself."

She looked into her friend's eyes, or perhaps former friend was more appropriate, her eyes almost pleading.

"Zyn crippled me, Tay. I…I thought I could fix it, but…"

She shook her head.

"Just make it quick okay, for old times' sake."

Taya stood before her, her weapon drawn.

Another Sith would not have hesitated, especially after such a clumsy and failed attempt to kill her.

Avaryss shook her head.

She thought she was Fehl's equal, and now…to end up like this?

To die at the hands of Taya of all people?

The Force had sick and cruel sense of humor.

So much for the great Avaryss, the Hero of Butcher's Clearing.

She was about to die at the hands of her light leaning former ally.

Talk about an ignoble end!

She waited on her knees, waited for Taya's blade to end her miserable existence.

Through victory, my chains are broken, she thought.

Well no breaking of chains here, only death.

She was going to die for being stupid.

Taya looked down on her, even with her dulled weakened senses; she could sense no anger, only concern and pity.

"Don't pity, me," Avaryss growled, starting to draw her sword.

"Don't you dare."

Taya kept her guard up, but did not attack.

She did not need to.

She could have reached out with the Force and crushed Avaryss throat, she doubted that she could manage a Force shield now, not one strong enough to stop a second level acolyte like Taya.

The two women faced off, their weapons drawn, it would not be much of a contest, but Avaryss would not die on her knees. She would not die some pathetic thing.

She would rather die on her feet with a weapon in hand.

Taya sighed.

"Lower your blade, Avy," she said.

"Why?"

"Because, I want to help you."

The words shocked her.

Did Taya forget where they were, this was **Korriban.**

Acolytes did not help ones that just tried to murder them.

Taya lowered her own sword, powering it down.

"A show of good faith," she said, "Now…lower you weapon."

Avaryss did as she said, still not sure what was going on.

Taya gave her a miffed look.

"You were going to kill me?" she said.

"You tortured me."

Taya winced.

"I said I was sorry."

Avaryss almost laughed at how ridiculous this sounded.

She could not believe they were having this conversation.

"So," she said, "What happens now?"

Taya rolled her eyes.

"Now, we get you back to medical, and find out what has happened to you."

Avaryss winced.

She was almost afraid to ask, but from the steel in Taya' voice, the blonde was not taking no for an answer.

She hooked her friend by the arm and pulled her along.

Avaryss glanced up, surprised by the determination on the other girl's face.

"Why are you doing this," she asked her breath wheezing through the respirator.

Taya laughed nervously.

"You would not believe me if I told you."

Avaryss chuckled.

"I might, it has been kind of a strange day."

Taya smirked.

"Tonight," she promised, "After lights out, we have things to discuss."

Her, well she supposed they were still friends, nodded.

Avaryss had failed to kill her, if she was unwilling to kill Avaryss, then…maybe something major had happened.

The wounded acolyte smiled slightly.

She was actually looking forward to tonight.

If anything else this would be interesting.

She couldn't wait.


	36. Answers

**Chapter 36: Answers**

Once again Avaryss made her way into the Valley of the Dark Lords; once again she sought out the Tomb of Ajunta Pall.

This time, she suspected, the visit would not end so…positively.

Her memories of the last time she had been here remained her rush through the darkness, her fight with the Acolytes that had tried to destroy Fehl and…what had happened after…between her and the Academy's top student.

Her eyes narrowed, the memory should have been pleasant, that brief period of happiness, sweet surrender. She had given up the last of her innocence and inhibitions here. Fehl had made her into a new woman. Yet now, his death, and her injuries had robbed her of any joy that those memories might have brought. They haunted her now, what had once felt liberating now felt like more chains wrapped around her, threatening to drag her down into both agony and death.

Yet, pain could be a source of great power, if one knew how to wield it.

She tried to draw on that pain, those darker impulses, guilt, rage, sorrow, they should have nourished her, helped her tear through the malaise that Inquisitor Zyn's questioning had left her in. The strange sense of calm that blocked her from embracing the dark side in all its glory remained.

She barely felt anything, her emotions seemed…like they hardly worked anymore…she had been left numb, and numbness was not good for one who chose to follow the ways of the Sith

She could sense the darkness; it remained within her, pulsing, cold, and hungry, if she could only touch it…if only for a moment, she thought that she might be able to save herself. The dark side…it seemed _**stronger**_ now, perhaps the loss of Fehl, the pain of being denied that life, had enhanced her connection, all she needed to do was reclaim it, take it up again. Had she been able to do that, she felt that _nothing_ would stop her, her powers would _double_ , perhaps even _**triple.**_

 _But I can't touch it;_ she thought glumly, _the sense of not being able to fully connect with my emotions remains. I feel anger, but it is muted, there is not enough there to build into rage, not enough to cleanse myself of this…sickness._

Only echoes of her former power remained, but perhaps those echoes would be enough, enough to prove herself worthy…

…Enough to earn a chance to parley with the prophet.

Taya thought it was worth a shot. Avaryss hated to admit it, but she now found herself in Taya's debt, the other girl could have killed her, and earned much prestige for doing so, especially, considering how stupidly Avaryss had acted in trying to slay her.

 _You should have fought,_ the dark voice within growled, _so what if you might have lost, better than simple surrender, better than now owing your life to another!_ There was no honor in surrender!

Of course, honor was a fool's prize; glory belonged only to the living!

Darth Revan had said those words, and they remained true, even after three centuries.

She would not toss away her life foolishly

At the time she had thought the other girl a fool, why risk yourself by sparing an enemy. Taya it seemed had a motivation beyond simply being her friend, a motivation that had existed before they had even met.

Avaryss was still not sure if she believed it, but Taya certainly did, and that was what mattered.

IOI

After escorting her back to medical, Taya had left her alone, promising to tell her friend everything later that night. After being left alone, Avaryss confronted the medical droids trying to find out what had happened to her.

She explained to them what was wrong, how her emotions seemed stunted, and with them, her connection to the Force.

The droids conversed quickly, in a series of beeps and whistles, perhaps searching their personal databases for any clue of what might be wrong with their patient.

When they did finally answer, their solution did little to assure her.

They concluded that she was suffering something they referred to as Force burn. They had studied the effect before in battle ragers, soldiers that enjoyed losing themselves in the suffering of others.

"You claim to have experienced Acolyte Fehl's final moments?" the first droid said.

"I did," Avaryss said suppressing a shudder, her respirator seeming far louder here than it had in the hall.

"We have encountered this effect before, mistress," the second droid added, "Plus, Several Sith medical texts in our databanks warn against forming such a connection."

"Following someone into death is not advised. The sudden loss of that connection can cause damage to the one left behind."

Avaryss nodded grimly.

"Is it permanent?"

"The texts we have accessed suggest that it is not," the first droid said, "The introduction of the Sith poisons we informed you of earlier have however changed the variables, making a full diagnosis difficult."

"Hard to say," the third droid chimed in.

Avaryss' hands curled into fists. She tried to reach out. She tried to turn her worry into fear, and from there turn that fear into anger and hate. Surely she was stronger than some series of coincidence.

Surely she would not lose everything by such a matter of happenstance.

She tried to force away the numbness, burn it away and find her power again, but nothing happened.

She remained cut off, the darkside remained distant.

"Do you have any suggested remedy?" she asked the droids.

"Force burn can only heal with time," the first droid said.

"Once the poisons have burned themselves out of your system, your connection to the Force should return." The second added.

"Should?" she said, looking at the spindly things, wishing she still had the will and strength to crush them.

"Matters of the Force are not our domain, mistress," the third droid said, "Such matters are best left to masters such as yourself."

"Perhaps one of the overseers could tell you more. It may be a good idea to consult them."

Avaryss eyes narrowed.

She would sooner chew broken glass.

She could _**not**_ hide this forever, but for now it would be smarter not to tell anyone. If Tremel or Harkun realized the extent of her weakness, she would likely not remain alive for very long. One of their favorites would come for her, and that would be the end.

She had no choice, she realized.

I will have to find a solution on my own. Taya offered to help, but…

She was still not sure what kind of game the blonde acolyte was playing. Her aid might end up being as lethal as letting an enemy know of her weakness.

She needed to proceed with caution.

As she sat there, listening to the medical droids debate possible treatment options, they were interrupted by two Sith troopers.

Overseer Tremel wished to speak with her and from the tone the soldier used, Avaryss did not expect that it would be a pleasant conversation.

She stood and adjusted her cloak; the loudness of the respirator seemed to grow, as she made her way down the hall.

Be confident, she thought, let Tremel see only disdain, bordering on arrogance.

Do not give a clue of how bad a way you are in.

Be strong or be dead, that is your only option.

She needed to be strong, or at the very least project an image of strength.

Tremel would not be easy to fool.

Hopefully the Force was still with her.

She might not be able to touch it, but it was still there.

She would need its aid today.

Be strong…she thought.

…or be dead.

IOI

After her meeting, Avaryss returned to her quarters, both to meditate, and to plan her next move. The overseer had released her from any of her academy obligations for that day, but such an action was not a reward, Avaryss understood that.

What had happened with Fehl, how it had ended, it was no victory for her. She could not even claim it as a victory. He had died, and she had come out looking like a lowly murderer whose cowardice had been on display to all, especially considering how easily she had been caught.

Having to be saved by another was yet another mark against her. Her mysterious patron may have saved her life, but he had not saved her position.

Any and all prestige she had gained in the last few months was now gone. She would be allowed to continue her training, but now, she was back to square one. She was now the lowest of the low in the eyes of every master on Korriban.

It was not a good place to be.

Tremel had made it clear that no master would offer her any guidance or lessons, she could attend the group courses, but that was it.

As far as he, and many of the other masters here were concerned, she was responsible for Fehl's death. Even if she had not poisoned him; she _**had**_ led him astray, he would never have found himself in such a weak place had they not been…involved.

She had ruined him, and in doing so, had ruined herself as well.

The masters would waste none of their time on her, Tremel had promised, if she wished to proceed beyond where she was now, she would have to prove to them that she was worthy of it. He advised her to use anything that she was feeling to nourish her power, any shame or guilt would be useful in regaining her former position, or at very least allow her to survive.

She told him nothing about her injury, the sickness that currently blocked her abilities.

She would get no help from him. If she was to recover, she would have to do so herself.

So, she sat in her quarters and meditated, she also took the time to gauge just how complete the loss of her powers was. For over an hour she sat on the floor of her chambers with a small water glass, trying to move it using the Force. After that first hour, all she had been able to accomplish was to make the glass rock back and forth, hardly the response expected of a second level acolyte.

She shook her head.

This was not good at all; she had not been this helpless since her first few troubled weeks in the Academy on Fury 9. Her sword skills remained, but without the Force to aid them, they were far slower than what was expected of an acolyte. Even the lowest student here stood more than a good chance of defeating her now.

She back handed the glass, sending it flying away. Putting it out of her mind, she tried to drop into a state of deep meditation, hopefully, with no distractions she would be able to touch the dark side enough to start burning away this illness. All she needed was a few moments. All she needed was to be able to touch the darkness for a few moments.

The loudness of the respirator remained a distraction; she tried to tune it out, but to no avail.

The path to her powers remained blocked, either by the Force burn she had suffered, or the chemicals she had been overdosed with, either one of them could have been the answer, and both led to the same unfortunate destination.

As of this moment, she was crippled, vulnerable. As soon as her peers realized what was going on, she was in trouble; she was a sitting duck, just waiting to be plucked.

The thought sent a chill down her spine.

Her previous successes would only shield her so long. She doubted that her patron would step forward again if she got in trouble. If anything, a Darth would sit back and see if anyone was strong enough to replace her. If anyone learned who the dark lord, was, they might approach him, offer to slay her as proof of their own prowess. She would need to find an answer to this problem quickly, the longer she waited, and the larger the target on her back would grow. She would have to search the archives, or the Valley of the Dark Lords. Hopefully, she would find an answer there. She…

There was a knock on her door, she tried to reach out with the Force and see who it was, but even that ability proved too much for her damaged mind.

"It is Taya, Avy," she heard through the door.

"Let me in."

She reached out with her powers, trying to trigger the lock, it should have been an easy thing for someone as gifted as her, but like everything else, it remained a lost cause.

She sighed, stood and opened the door. Taya rushed in, several books and scrolls in her arms. She just managed to make it in, before dropping the huge pile of papers on the floor.

"I see you came prepared," Avaryss said dryly.

"I tried to find everything I could in the library, she answered, "The record keeper wasn't happy, but she did at least let me take some things."

Taya gave her an evaluating look.

"Has there been any change?" she asked, "Are your powers coming back?"

Avaryss did not dignify that with an answer.

She had showed the other girl enough weakness.

She refused to show her anything further.

She glared at her old ally.

"Why are you helping me?" she demanded.

Taya smiled.

"You don't trust me, Avy, after everything we've been through?"

"I don't trust a Sith who would offer something for nothing. You have no reason to aid me. In fact, you should have killed me in the hallway, you had plenty of opportunity."

She drew closer to the blonde, their eyes meeting.

"Why are you helping me, Tay? What is in it for you?"

The blonde girl giggled.

"A place at the high table," she responded, "A Darth's respect and the chance to stand higher than anyone in my family has ever stood before."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"Explain?" she demanded.

Taya did just that.

"I know how you look at me Avy, how you and Nass _**both**_ look at me. You think me soft hearted and weak.

Avaryss did not deny that.

She saw no reason to lie.

"You were not only one who questioned my commitment. When I first arrived here on Korriban, I was left to train with Overseer Harkun. He saw me as nothing, and looked for any excuse to remove me."

"I'm guessing he did not find it," Avaryss said dryly.

"Not for lack of trying," Taya said with a shrug, "He wanted me dead, I think, but my family's wealth and position on Dromund Kaas was a problem. If he executed me, he would have to answer to those who owe my family. In the end he decided that a death in the tombs would be better. He sent me to the Tomb of Ajunta Pall, to meet with the hermit that lives there, a man known as Spindrall."

Avaryss blinked.

"There are people living in the tomb of Ajunta Pall?"

"Spindrall, and his followers, they live in the deepest level of the tomb, close to where the dark lord was laid rest.

Taya smirked.

"I'm surprised you and Fehl did not encounter any of them during your…interlude in the tomb. I'm guessing Spindrall must not have seen either of you as a threat."

The thought gave Avaryss pause.

She did not like the idea that someone had been spying on her and Fehl while they had been in the tomb, of course, considering how much death and destruction had preceded their little….interlude, a person would have had to have been a fool to try and face them...

She sighed.

What did it matter now, Fehl was dead, and if she did not do something, she might just end up joining him.

"Who is this Spindrall, and what does he have to do with you helping me?"

"I was getting to that, Spindrall is…well…some think he is just a madman, but more than a few of the lords seem to think him as something of a prophet. He is respected among the pyramid of knowledge. If he says you are unworthy of becoming Sith, most lords will see that as all the proof they need to accept a death order. Harkun sent me into the tomb, expecting me either to not to come out, or emerge with death mark against me."

Taya shivered.

"It was a tough fight, probably the toughest I'd known up to that point. Spindrall does not share his wisdom willingly; he demands blood as proof of a person's worthiness. I slew four of his followers before he would even consent to talking with me."

The blonde girl sighed.

"My willingness to kill bought me a pass from him, but that did not mean that he thought me lord material."

"What did he say?" Avaryss asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"He said that I would never lead armies on my own, that my talents were more suited to serve than rule, but he also advised that I be mindful, that I was on the right path, that one day soon I would encounter a fellow acolyte that would rise higher and faster than I ever could hope too."

Taya grinned.

"Even the greatest lord needs lower lords to serve them. The rewards are as good and the risk far less."

What does this have to do with me?" Avaryss demanded.

"Everything as it turns out, do you remember when we attacked by those shadow wasps on Butcher's Clearing?"

"Of course," she said wrinkling her nose, "I still have nightmares about the things."

Taya nodded.

"Well, I'm sure you remember what a mess I was after we survived that."

"You were totally out of it."

" _ **Not**_ totally," Taya added, "I was lost in the Force. The wasps' sting offered me visions. The same vision actually, over and over again. I found myself standing under a violet sky on balcony of a high tower, below me was a city, its streets filled with people, people chanting a name."

Her expression turned dreamy.

"I was not alone; my family was there, them and several others. As I looked down, I saw only the trappings of wealth and prestige, my mother and father were equally as well adorned. We stood as advisers and hands to a powerful dark lord, a dark lord whose name the people below were chanting.

Taya giggled excitedly.

"That dark lord had **your** face, Avy. It was _**your**_ name that I was hearing. Destiny has marked you."

The blonde stepped away, and dropped to one knee.

"I pledge myself to your service, Avy," she said, "You are the one who will lead my family to glory."

Avaryss blinked.

This…this Taya…she was insane.

She had to be.

"It could have just been a fever dream?" she said.

"I don't think so," Taya said, "It felt real."

"Is this why you have been helping me?" Avaryss asked, "The voice lessons, and everything else?"

"It is," Taya admitted, bowing her head in submission, "I may be a bit of a soft touch, but I'm still Sith."

Her eyes flashed hungrily.

"I'm in this for myself. I seek power for myself without fear or reservation. _**You**_ are my path to power, Avy. I'll do whatever I can to help you achieve your goals."

Her friend's admission shocked her, had she heard this a month ago, she might have chosen a different path. She might not have so easily accepted Fehl's offer to become his wife.

 _This does not change your condition,_ the dark voice within, reminded her. _You are still broken._

Taya needed to understand that.

"I'm in no condition to lead anything or anyone, Tay?" she reminded the other girl, "I'll be lucky to survive the next few days."

"I'll take my chances," the other girl said, "I've seen you survive being gutted by a Wookie. You defeated a Jedi Padawan almost single handedly. You seduced and ensnared the top student on Korriban. There is far more to you than meets the eye, Avy. You've only just started to find your place."

The blonde was practically beaming now.

"My father always said that you need to recognize a good gamble when you find one. You are a good gamble Avy. You are too strong to let what happened with Fehl beat you. I believe in my visions. You will lead me to glory.

She bowed her head again.

"I serve you from now on."

Avaryss sighed, her respirator skipped a breath; a strange wheeze broke the silence.

She needed to decide what she was going to do here.

Taya could be useful, she did not deny that. Her family had both wealth and contacts, contacts that a young Sith on the rise might need. Plus, she would be an excellent shield to hide behind until Avaryss was able to regain her full powers.

"What does Nass think of this Taya?" she asked, "Does she agree with your choice?"

Taya looked up, her face twisting into a pout.

"I'm not Nass' servant or slave," she said, "Besides; she has other things on her mind right now. Since Fehl has been gone, she has been making a lot of moves. She is trying to take his place, I think."

Taya sneered.

"She has abandoned me to pursue her own ambitions. If you desire it, I will help you kill her. It might go a long way in rebuilding your station here."

Avaryss was shocked.

She managed a laugh.

"Okay," she said, "Who are you and what have you done with Taya?"

The blonde giggled.

"After the way she bossed us around back in the Clearing, you think that I would lose any sleep if she had a…accident. Not really, especially now, when we need to start building you up again."

Avaryss considered that. Could they do it?

Could they get rid of Nass?

"Peace, Taya," she said, "If it is necessary for us to remove Nass, I want to be at full strength. She is no push over, as we both well know."

The blonde nodded.

"As you say," she said, "I will bow to your command."

Avaryss suppressed a sigh.

She was not sure believed this.

Was this all some game? Perhaps Nass had put Tay up to this. If sounded like some strategy she might try.

No, she felt no deception in her friend, not that she completely trusted those senses for the moment.

She would need to be careful, just in case.

She looked down at her kneeling friend, her new servant; she did not completely trust this, but…

She needed help, that much was certain.

This new arrangement might serve very well.

"You are mine to command?" she asked.

"Of course, Avy, whatever you need. I can do."

"Good, then you will start by going through these texts; find out everything you can on Force burn, and its long term effects."

"Of course," the blonde said, "Do you need anything else of me?"

"No, you have given me a lead, which is enough for now."

Taya gave her an arched look.

"What sort of lead."

"This Spindrall, you trust his visions."

"They seemed to have pointed me in the right direction."

Avaryss nodded.

"I shall seek him out tomorrow then. See if he has any advice to offer, perhaps he may even know a solution to my problem."

Taya gave her a worried look.

"It would be tough fight for you, reaching the tomb in your condition. Would you like me to accompany you?"

Avaryss shook her head no.

"I doubt this hermit would be willing to offer me anything if I brought help."

Yes, Avaryss thought.

This felt right to her.

Perhaps the dark side was testing her, as it had done back on Fury 9. Perhaps she was expected to make this journey on her own, with only her limited powers to protect her.

Taya was frowning.

"If you seek Spindrall, go expecting a fight. As I said, he does not offer up his wisdom freely."

Avaryss nodded.

She would be disappointed if he did.

The dark side was about overcoming your limitations not giving in to them. If she succeeded, she may have her answers, if she failed, she would be dead and best forgotten.

"I will leave in the morning," she informed her new servant.

"As you say," Taya said bowing her head.

"Good luck, Avy."

IOI

Avaryss sighed as the Tomb of Ajunta Pall finally came into view. Her combat suit was torn in several places, armor plates were sticking out and all sported new gashes.

A rogue tukata had surprised her on her journey. The Sith Hound had tried to make her a meal, and it was only through her skill and luck that she had survived.

The beast now lay rotting under the dim sun, yet she felt no elation for this victory.

Her heart pounded from the adrenalin of having survived such an attack, but still…the sense of detachment remained. It felt as if all her emotions were pinned behind a dam, and was unable to be experienced.

Perhaps that was the case, perhaps it was not, maybe this Spindrall would know, or maybe he won't.

It doesn't matter. I've come too far to back out now.

Avaryss began climbing the steps of Ajunta Pall's tomb, going back down into the dark.

She shivered with anticipation.

Perhaps the answers she thought would be here. One thing was certain however, the tomb was not empty, and she could sense the flicker of presences within.

It is time to find them, she thought.

Spindrall awaits.


	37. The Prophet

**Chapter 37: The Prophet**

She had only just entered the tomb when the voices started.

Avaryss shivered, she tried to reach out with her senses, scan for traps and possible ambushes, but those attempts proved pointless. Any danger she sensed proved elusive, her connection to the dark side had grown so tenuous that she could have been standing in front of one of the tomb's traps and not even realize it until it was too late.

The realization made her journey that much slower. She dared not rush forward, Ajunta Pall's tomb may have been one of the better explored tombs in the valley, but that did not mean that it was safe.

The ancient Sith had been ruthless, the main defenses of this place may no longer function, but that did not mean that all secondary traps had been disarmed, a Sith could have walked by such a trap a dozen times and never set it off, only to make one false move, and then…snap!

No more Sith Acolyte.

She did not intend to fall prey to such a device. Her every step, every gesture was cautious.

She would not die because of some random accident.

As she moved forward, she kept her ears open as well. Two legged predators were not the only thing that frequented these tombs. Pelko bugs, K'lor slugs, and shyrack were always hungry and ready to feast on the unwary.

She kept her war blade at the ready, what little Force energy she was able to focus through it made the blade glow weakly.

She found herself stopping at the chamber where she and Fehl had shared their first night together. The bodies of their victims were gone; meat did not last long in an open tomb. She walked up to the spot where Fehl had spread his cloak for them to lay on, where she had lay while he had massaged her back.

The memory made her shudder, her gentle sighs and groans of pleasure, the feel of his lips on her spine, her respirator wheezed as it tried to catch up with the effect the memory was having on her.

 _All for nothing_ , she thought morosely, a muted sense of despair filling her.

 _Everything we could have had together…_ _ **gone.**_

She shook her head.

 _Why had this happened?_

 _Why had the dark side forsaken them?_

She thought of Fehl, his body, she…she had not even had the chance to say good bye. She had been in the tank when it had been tended too. Had his remains been returned to Dromund Kaas, or had they simply been thrown out and forgotten?

That last thought sent a spike of fury through her, it was not enough to break through the haze, but she had felt it, like a flash of lightning hidden by thick heavy storm clouds.

Perhaps this journey is not so pointless after all, she thought.

Maybe there is a chance to come back from this.

She stayed there a few moments longer, trying to find her fury, that sense of rage. It did not come, but that did not mean that she did not take comfort from it. Her emotions were still there, she took solace in that. She took one final look before turning her back on this place for the last time. Those memories no longer had any use for her. All they offered now was weakness, and what might have been.

She needed to stay focused on the now.

It was the only way she would survive.

She proceeded deeper into the tomb. The deeper she went, the louder the whispers seemed to become, at first she had thought it just her imagination, her fear working overtime. Now…she was not so sure.

She could not make out the words over the loud in and out of her respirator, but she did not let that discourage her.

If the voices were growing louder, she would follow them.

Eventually they would be loud enough for her to hear. So she pushed on, trying to reach out with her senses, trying to follow what she was hearing.

She could almost understand them now; they were most definitely voices, but whose voices…she could not say.

There were rumors that the dark lords that had been interred here never left, that their spirits remained bound to their remains, that they would sometimes choose to speak to those they deemed worthy, even offer guidance and training.

 _Was that what she was hearing? Could it be the spirit of Ajunta Pall? He had been one of the greatest of the ancient lords._

 _Could he be trying to reach out to her? If he was, she welcomed his aid._

The ancient Sith had had access to many secrets, perhaps one of these ghosts would be able to restore her.

In her attempt to make sense of what she was hearing, she almost got herself killed; she had turned a corner, following the voices and almost fell into pit filled with a swarm of pelko bugs. The insects chittered loudly, angry that their meal had escaped them.

Avaryss backed up quickly, her heart pounding.

She cursed herself a fool.

 _What do you think you are_ _ **doing?**_ _You came here for a reason, not to follow ancient echoes._

She shook her head and resumed her original course, deeper into the tomb.

She would not be distracted now.

She had come here to speak with the prophet.

She would not be denied.

 _He cannot help you,_ a voice whispered through the darkness.

She paused.

Finally, she thought.

It seems that she had caught something's attention.

It was then that the voices finally began to rise in pitch; she could at long last hear them.

The words she heard were not what she expected.

 _You have the means to heal yourself, to be free._

 _You have all the power you need, hearing us is proof of that._

 _You can be whole again, free of fear and doubt._

 _All you have to do…is let go._

Her damaged eyes narrowed.

"Let go of what," she murmured, "I do not understand."

For a moment, all sound stopped, she waited, trying to sense what she was hearing, was it real, her imagination, or perhaps someone playing tricks, maybe even Spindrall and or his followers.

 _You can be free._

 _What you view as sickness is actually a_ _ **gift.**_ _It has freed you of the darkness. Your calm can become your greatest strength._

 _You knew such power once, when you climbed the collection towers of Oridanna, you knew the strength of contemplation, of peace._

 _You can embrace it again, you do not need the Sith. You can be cured._

 _Let go of your hate._

 _There is no emotion, there is peace._

 _The light can heal you if you wish it._

 _All you must do is let go._

The last two whispers stopped her in her tracks.

These were no Sith ghosts whispering to her, that was for sure.

It seemed that, in her weakness, she had opened herself up to the forbidden; the light side was reaching out to her.

 _No,_ she thought, shaking her head, trying to clear it of any temptation of the lies.

Yet, the voices remained, the light, it seemed, was after her, it followed close by, sure footed, and hungry.

It was a predator seeking a wounded animal, eager for the kill.

She could sense it coming closer, for the first time since awakening in the medical bay, she could sense something clearly, the light.

It was inside her head now, offering both power and redemption.

All she had to do was let go, do that, and what she thought an illness would turn into a boon.

She would be able to connect to the light, and with its aid, be made whole again.

"No," she gasped, "Never! I will not become a slave! I reject your lies!"

 _Are they lies, or are you simply lying to yourself?_

 _The light knows you, Keera Lylos. There is good in you, you can still feel it, the Sith have not driven it from you completely._

 _The dark side took your family; it took your lover, why do you still cling desperately to it?_

"Keera is gone," she rasped, "She was a weak and stupid girl. She is gone. The name you speak has no meaning for me. I am Avaryss. Avaryss.

"You will leave me be."

She was suddenly blinded, a flash of light so bright that it hurt her weakened crimson eyes.

She yelped, trying to shield herself.

Visions filled her mind.

She saw herself on her knees, her face no longer pale, the farm girl's tan she had always had on Oridanna blooming on her face. Her blue eyes filled with tears, tears of shame for what she had done to get here. She saw herself remove the respirator, remove it and take a breath of free air. She could feel nothing but relief; relief…free of anger and fear.

The sight made her whimper.

With the Force as he her ally, she saw herself fleeing Korriban, hiding on one of the many transports that were always stopping here. The Sith would not pursue her, they thought her lost and broken. They would assume she died in the tombs.

The vision moved forward, time jumped forward. She saw a lone Jedi knight standing on a rocky path, confronted by many Sith troopers. Her blue blade moved back and forth, striking down any that tried to pass.

Suddenly the Jedi was not alone, a young man, also wielding a blue blade was at her side. He saved her from being overwhelmed.

From him she sensed only concern and affection for his fellow.

"Bit off a bit more than you could chew again, Keera?" he said fondly.

The girl's hood fell back, Keera Lylos, Jedi Knight gave the boy a sly smirk.

"I had to do something to get your attention Fenn," she said grinning, kicking a Sith soldier in the face.

The young man, the dream friend she remembered from her childhood, chuckled.

"You're something, you know that?"

"Glad you noticed, I'm…"

 _ **NO!**_

The vision vanished, Avaryss fought against it, she staggered back, striking the stone wall behind her, hard.

Stars exploded before her eyes. Pain bloomed in the back of her head, but that was fine.

Pain was better than lies!

She found herself on her hands and knees in the Tomb of Ajunta Pall, her breath wheezing through the respirator. She…she…

She looked up into the darkness.

"Never," she hissed, "I will never betray the Sith! I will never betray the Empire, my Emperor! I will never enslave myself to the light, or my lessers."

She would not bind herself to the weaklings that bowed to the Senate; she would not waste her time serving the unwashed rabble of the Republic!

She was meant to be Sith, a lord.

She would not abandon that goal.

Never again, she thought.

Never again.

She rose to her feet; she touched the back of her head, found blood there.

The pain…it helped bring her back, center her anew.

She welcomed it.

The light side fell silent.

 _Good_ , she thought.

 _I will not be lied to. I will not be deceived._

She found herself thinking of the boy. It…it was impossible!

That boy…he could not have been a Jedi! He…he had had feelings, he had cared for her.

No Jedi cared for anyone. All that mattered to them was their precious republic and the light side of the Force.

 _It was another lie,_ the dark voice within said.

 _Put it out of your mind and move forward._

She nodded grimly, and did just that.

Though one thought did tickle at the back of her mind, a word, a name she had not heard until that moment.

Fenn.

She smiled slightly.

The boy had a name, his name was Fenn.

She shivered slightly.

Perhaps it was just another lie, but she did not think so.

She did not think so. It felt true.

 _I have your name now,_ she thought.

 _Your name…is Fenn._

The fact that he was a Jedi did not discourage her.

Jedi were not invincible, they fell. They _**always**_ fell.

She grinned.

He would fall to the darkness, to her.

Then…at long last…they would be complete.

It was just another reason for her to survive this place, more motivation.

She pressed on.

Spindrall still waited.

IOI

The central chamber where Ajunta Pall had once lay was quite large. Guardian statues looked down from above, watching over the mortal remains of one who had been worshipped as a god by the ancient Sith people.

Avaryss made her way forward. At the base of the bier where the sarcophagus sat, was a small fire, and sitting by that fire was an old man in dirty black robes.

She shuddered with excitement.

"Lord Spindrall, I presume," she called out.

The old man looked up; she could see his eyes glinting beneath his hooded cowl.

He chuckled mirthlessly.

"Lord? Hardly child, I am merely an old man living in a humble hole."

He rose from his place by the fire. Despite his age, he stood a good head taller than she.

He pinned her with a cold and evaluating gaze.

She tried appear cold and arrogant, not wishing to show any weakness.

Spindrall smiled slightly.

"Ah," he said, "So you are the pariah, the poisoner, the one who murdered the academy's top student so cravenly and tried to run away."

Avaryss eyes narrowed.

How he knew this, she did not know.

"I did not kill Fehl," she said.

"What you did, or did not do does not concern me child," he said dismissively, "All that matters is how you are now seen by those that crawl upon the surface. You are nothing to them. You are the pariah."

She did not argue with him.

He was not wrong.

"They've turned their backs on me," she said.

Spindrall chuckled.

"They are fools then, when you turn your back on someone, all you do is invite your own death, you ask the one you ignore to put a knife between the ribs."

She grinned.

He did paint a pretty picture, but that was not what she was here for.

She needed his wisdom.

"I've come seeking your guidance, old one," she said, "I need answers."

He snorted dismissively.

"If you seek my wisdom, then you must be willing to pass my trial."

He snapped his fingers.

Four dirty unwashed creatures emerged from the shadows.

Avaryss backed up drawing her war blade.

Though now dressed in rags she could see that Spindrall's followers had once been Acolytes, they wore the remnants of academy uniforms, and all four wielded training sabers. Hungry and desperate eyes looked out from beneath ratty cowls.

She dropped into a fighting stance.

"Survive these," Spindrall said returning to his fire, "then we shall talk."

She called on the darkness; in her weakened state it would take everything she could muster to shield herself from these…failures.

It was almost not enough.

One hit her with a Force push that sent he staggering, two of them fell upon her with their blades, she fell back using the sequences of Soresu. She felt one of these rodents trying to get into her mind with the Force, but proved unworthy of the task.

She grinned.

Learning to shield herself from mental attacks had been one of the first lessons she had learned, that was more about her will than the Force.

In that at least, she was as strong as ever.

She continued to back pedal, using her training to wear down her opponents. One got frustrated and tried to push an attack. She opened his neck down to bone before he had a chance to fall back.

The body fell to the floor.

One down, she thought.

Three to go.

The other two failures tried to assist their remaining brother; it was not the wisest course of action. They tried to rush her, but by running in they were now getting in each other's way.

Their desire to kill her was working against them.

She used the opportunity to eliminate another of their number. Another body hit the floor.

Realizing their mistake, the two survivors fell back. Perhaps seeking to attack her using the Force, she did not give them that chance.

She switched to Makashi, advancing on her opponents.

Her powers may have been weakened, but her skill with a blade was not about her powers alone. It was a skill she had honed often over the last year.

A third failure died.

The fourth proved to not be as foolish.

He raised his hand.

She yelped loudly as he used the Force to wrap invisible fingers around her throat. Her respirator began to wheeze, her air way suddenly was cut off.

She struggled to free herself, but she had used up all her Force reserves.

She was on her own.

Spots began to dance before her eyes, she lost her war blade. It tumbled from her fingers; her hands went up to claw at her throat. Through the red haze that her world had become she saw the remaining creature approaching, he had been human once. He was also grinning triumphantly.

 _No!_

 _Not like this, I_ _ **can't**_ _die like this!_

 _Fehl! Daddy! Help me!_

Spindrall's creature got in close, far closer than he should have. He must have thought her lost in panic.

He was wrong, she had used that fear to draw him in, it had been a close thing, but she had done it.

Avaryss grabbed his arm.

She glared at him.

 _ **Gotcha!**_

It took all her remaining strength, but it was worth it.

She was able to produce Force lightning, not enough for a bolt, but enough to electrify the man's flesh.

The Force grip fell away.

She did not give him a chance to recover.

She leapt on top of him.

She pummeled his with her fists. She drove the heavy respirator mask down on the bridge of his nose, shattering and splattering her face with blood. Somehow she found a large rock in her hand. She brought it down again and again on the failed creature's face.

It did not take long to reduce that face to nothing but red mush, but she did not stop, not until she felt the last flicker of life fade from the body.

She was out of power. She could not take any chances.

Be strong…or be dead!

When the body finally stopped twitching, she looked up at the old man by the fire. He had watched the whole conflict silently.

His eyes narrowed.

"You do not fight like one possessed of great power," he said blandly, "What is wrong, child?"

She let out a wheezing breath and rose unsteadily to her feet.

"That is why I am here, my lord," she said bowing respectfully, "To seek your guidance."

He gestured for her to sit.

"You have passed my trial," he said, "Share my fire, and we shall talk."

She nodded gratefully, and did just that.

She told him everything.

She held nothing back.

When she was done, Spindrall nodded.

'An intriguing story, Acolyte," he said, "But I do not see what you want of me."

Her eyes narrowed.

"You are respected among those on the surface, my lord. I want to believe that I still have a destiny among the stars, and in our Empire. I seek to know if the dark side has forsaken me, if that destiny is lost."

He tilted his head slightly.

"Why do you think that the dark side has forsaken you?"

"Someone told me once that the dark side could give me my dreams. I only needed the strength to seize it. Yet, for some reason, I keep losing all that I desire. I find something worth fighting for, and it is violently ripped away from me."

She shook her head.

"What is the point of power if you cannot use it to hold onto the things that you are passionate about?

Spindrall did something then that she did not expect.

He laughed.

The sound of it angered her.

"Did I say something amusing?"

"No," he said shaking his head, "Young people, you do not understand. You know the Sith code, yes?"

"Of course!"

"Then you should know the answer to your question," he said shaking his head.

"Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Reflect for a moment on those words, Acolyte. Your passion is not the end of the journey, it is not destination. Passion is a vehicle. Strength is the road on which you travel, the final destination for a Sith is and always has been power. Power is all that matters to a Sith, not the pleasures and passions that you seek to indulge. You must hunger for power above all things. You must crave it without fear or hesitation. Only then can you finally unlock your full potential, only then will you truly be free of what hold you back, both now, and in the future."

Avaryss listened closely, drinking in those words.

"So…I am not done! It is possible to come back from this?"

"You are Sith, or very nearly Sith, anything is possible."

She shivered with excitement.

It was possible.

She could yet regain what had been lost.

Spindrall was watching her closely, evaluating her again.

"Reach out to the dark side, Acolyte," he said.

"I cannot touch it, my lord," she said, "That path is blocked."

"Close your eyes, and reach out, tell me what you see."

She did as he bade her. She closed her eyes and reached out.

What she saw in the darkness took her breath away.

She stood before a great glass wall. It stretched on forever. Around her everything else was empty, perfectly hollow. She approached the wall, its surface was pitted and scarred, but it was too thick to crumble easily, it…

She gasped.

Behind the wall an ocean of dark side energy was building, it pulsed against the wall, seeking to escape to fill the hollow chamber where she found herself, to drown her and everything else in its cold embrace.

The sensation of it, being so close to it made her mouth water.

She called out, describing it to Spindrall.

She heard the old man grunt.

"Do you still believe that the dark side has forsaken you, acolyte?

Avaryss shook her head no.

No, the dark side had not forsaken her. It hungered for her. She could feel its desire to wrap itself around her, to crush away the weakness and leave her a perfect vessel for its power.

"If it is not the dark side," Spindrall said, "Then you must ask yourself, _who_ has forsaken me? Who would dare try to deny me this? Who would seek to leave me lost and forgotten? What rival would dare try such a thing?

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

Fehl's death, her torture, and the state she now found herself in?

Had that not been coincidence?

Had all this been…planned?

Who would do such a thing?

Who hated her that much!

In that moment she sensed a sudden spark, the wall before her cracked loudly. Tendrils of darkness began to seep through, they wrapped around her.

And for that briefest of moments, she felt something.

Her eyes widened.

HATE!

Pure pulsing hatred! It flowed through her, filling her with renewed strength.

She beat her hands against the wall, screaming in rage. At first nothing happened, she continued her assault the hate burning inside her. Her fists struck again and again.

The wall cracked under her assault, she…she…

She gasped.

She found herself back beside the fire, back with the old hermit.

"Your power is not gone child," he said, "It is locked away, but you have the key, you always had."

A shiver ran down her spine.

Fury…

The key was Fury.

She should not have been surprised.

 _Had it not been rage that first brought here power into expression, had it not been fury that allowed her to slay those Sith soldiers back on Oridanna?_

She had been using mere anger, the simmering anger that all Sith feel, that power had been insufficient.

Fury was what was needed.

She needed an enemy.

She knew what had happened to her, but now…she needed something more…

…She needed to find out who.

They would be the key to her salvation.

She had not poisoned Fehl, but someone had. It was that someone who had worked quickly to cover their own tracks.

She needed to find them, to _**face**_ them.

They were the source of her problems, but also they were the answer.

She grinned hungrily.

Spindrall watched her, his expression cold and serious.

"You have a destiny Acolyte, even a fool could see that, but you are not Sith yet. You need to learn from your mistakes. Your passions are a distraction. You must not forget the true reason that you are here.

"Power," she said coldly, "It is the end of the journey."

He nodded.

"I see that you will be tested again very soon. Your passion will rise and you will be forced to choose between what you desire, and continuing your pursuit of greater power. You failed that test with the pure blood boy. You must not fail again. If you do, your destiny will be lost, you be cast aside, destroyed, and forgotten."

"I will not fail," Avaryss said rising to her feet, she bowed respectfully.

"Thank you for your wisdom, my lord, and your advice."

"Reclaim what is yours Acolyte; shake this Empire to its core. Let the Emperor himself hear your voice."

Spindrall sighed.

"We are done, now, leave me."

She bowed respectfully again, and left.

No light side voices rose up to torment her on her way out. No visions of false hope danced before her eyes.

First, I reclaim my power, she thought, I will never be left so weak ever again!

She knew what she faced now, the wall, and a hidden enemy somewhere within the Academy's ranks.

She would conquer both.

The mere thought made her giddy.

She would _**destroy**_ both.

She thought of the wall again, it no longer seemed so impenetrable, she could almost sense the cracks and imperfections. The darkness on the other side, hungering to flow free once more.

I must be patient, she thought, she could not rush things.

Taya would help her, shield her until she was ready, and then…she would move.

Break the wall.

Kill the enemy.

The Force would be hers again, destiny would be hers, but first she needed power. It was the destination after all.

Power first.

Then …she would be free to claim her passions, and this time…

No one would be left to oppose her.

She would crush them all.

She would crush _**everything!**_


	38. The Pariah

**Chapter 38: The Pariah**

Days had quickly turned to weeks, which quickly turned into months.

Avaryss had been forced to adopt a new strategy.

Once again she returned to her room after another day of training. She sat her war blade near the bed, before flopping down hard onto mattress. Her eyes briefly looked at her weapon. It never left her sight now unless it was safely locked away by her.

Her body ached from today's training, normally that would not have been a problem, the Force would have increased her stamina to a degree that such a work out would have been nothing to endure. She had reached a level that, when the Force was hers to command, she could do a hand stand for two hours and not feel the least bit pained or tired.

Unfortunately, she could not do that anymore.

The Force remained blocked to her. She continued to deal with that problem, but had only found minimal success. She had spent the last two months cracking away at the wall inside her mind, yet the mental block remained strong. She was making progress though. She could finally sense others through the Force again; even manage to lift small objects with it.

 _It is not fast enough,_ the dark voice reminded her; _people are starting to take notice, you can only hide this for so long._

She **knew** that, which had been part of the reason she had needed to switch tactics. She had needed to adopt a whole new persona when she was out among her fellow acolytes.

It was a persona she had come to quickly despise.

Her shaming continued, the masters had all but forgotten her, and she continued to drop lower and lower in their eyes. New acolytes arrived to replace those that had either fallen, or been taken by the masters as full Sith. She should have been among them, off this rock months ago and taken out into the Empire. What had happened with Fehl changed all that.

Now she was barely keeping her head above water. She was a non-entity, or at least, that is what she wanted everyone to think. She did everything in her power to appear beaten, to appear broken, to make destroying her appear to be as worthless as stabbing a corpse. She kept her head down in training, not daring to show any defiance. While on the inside she was watching the other Acolytes, not only evaluating their skills but also searching for clues to who might have caused Fehl's death.

The killer had not left Korriban, she could feel it. All those that had arrived after Fehl had died were excluded, but that still left a long list of suspects. It would take time to investigate, but if anything, she had time.

She was no threat to anyone now. She had worked hard to make sure everyone thought that.

Taya had proved invaluable to her little ruse. To those that she wanted to impress, she was stringing Avaryss along, farming her for both knowledge and another blade if she needed one. To those that were not useful, she played the spoiled little princess who cared too much for her broken friend. Taya spread the tale, and watched; saw who ran to tell who what. So far, the blonde had heard nothing about Fehl's death, but it was only a matter of time until someone either bragged to her, or tried to eliminate Avaryss' last ally. When they did, Taya would be ready to bring that information to her old buddy, Avy, provided she did not have to kill the culprit herself in self-defense.

Avaryss hoped that would not be the case. She wanted the pleasure of slaying Fehl's murderer herself. Of course, she would need her powers back before she could accomplish that.

She wanted to savor that kill, feel it in all its glory through the Force.

It was as decent a motivation as any.

Of course, she still had to be careful; she could not pretend to be **too** useless. She needed to avoid simply being culled by the overseers.

So, as she worked to restore her powers, she had needed to take steps to remain relevant, or at least useful, both to keep the overseers from assigning her death as a test for the new acolytes, and to keep the other students from using her as a stepping stone to their next level of training. This meant that she needed to do something that the old Avaryss would never have even thought of trying.

Tremel _**still**_ blamed her for Fehl. He would never aid her in anything again. Yet, she still needed the patronage of someone, a Sith could not survive without a power base, their own or someone else's.

A shudder ran down her spine.

It was for that reason that she was so exhausted today.

Harkun asked much of those that became his creatures.

She was expected to perform.

Today, one of Harkun's pets had gone psychotic, killed three other acolytes before Avaryss had stopped him. It had been a tough fight, but that was for the best, she not only proved she was **not** completely useless, but made few new cracks in barrier separating her from the dark side. Harkun could have done it himself, but he preferred to let his henchmen do it, to prove his superiority over them. Today, that henchman had been Avaryss.

She should have been insulted, but wasn't. Harkun was giving her what she wanted…

She could put up with the man being an ass to her as long as that situation remained.

Being a thug was not so bad, as long as she could say that it was not to be a permanent assignment.

When she had first thought of using Harkun, she had almost balked at the idea. She found the man repellent, his petty cruelties base, and his ambitions small. Yet, with Tremel still being angry with her, she had had little option.

She needed protection while she worked to restore herself.

Harkun proved willing to offer that.

He had been slow to trust her. He remembered well the arrogant girl he had tried to embarrass on her first day. She had not forgotten either, but she had little choice. Every time she left this room she did everything in her power to make others see her as broken, that Fehl's death and her interrogation had destroyed her will and that she no longer cared for her own life and now lived only for the suffering of others now. She wanted them to see a pathetic creature, yes, but also a creature that had just enough skill to kill if it was threatened. The Academy had broken her, now she wished to break everyone else.

It was not that hard to think like that, had she not visited Spindrall or gained Taya's aid, she might have _become_ such a creature.

It was an act, but one that could become reality if she gave up.

Her days were now spent at Harkun's side, as he worked with the new recruits, most of these were barely above the level of hopefuls she had known back on Fury 9, scum that should have been culled long before they found their way to this academy. Word had come down from the Dark Council recently, that the number of new Sith needed to be increased drastically. Spies among the Republic had discovered a massive recruitment drive being conducted by the Jedi within Republic borders. Their old enemy was snatching up anyone with Force talent.

The Sith needed to do the same.

Some of these new "Acolytes" barely qualified; Avaryss doubted that half of them would have made it through a month of training on Fury 9. They certainly did not belong here on Korriban.

The disdain she felt for these new students aided Harkun greatly. All he had to do was say her name, and she would act, usually to strike down this acolyte or that.

She felt no shame in carrying out the overseer's orders. It was simply a matter of survival, **her** survival. Plus…if they were not strong enough to defeat her in her weakened state, then they did not deserve to continue on.

The math was simple, it was her or them, and it would not be her.

She would do anything to ensure that goal.

Oh how she must have terrified Harkun's victims, she with her black training suit, and breath mask, she said little to the new students, trying to remain enigmatic and mysterious. Some had even come to fear her when they saw her at Harkun's side. Her dull red eyes glittered as she carried out her new master's orders, and sometimes, during the moments of her punishing these fools, she felt the wall holding back her powers crack, filling her up with a temporary sense of dark satisfaction.

The realization gave her pause.

Perhaps there _**was**_ value to her being Harkun's creature that went beyond mere survival.

Perhaps there was _more_ to it.

Harkun was not above showing gratitude either, he could not reverse Tremel and the other instructors' decision to abandon her, but he could supply her with texts to study, especially when those studies aided him in his own ambitions. It was rumored that Harkun had recently won a new patron in the form of Lord Zash of the Pyramid of Knowledge. Zash was said to be a skilled sorceress in her own right, and, since sorcery was not really Harkun's area of study, he turned to Avaryss to ensure his new patron would be happy with his finds.

Even a broken Sith Sorceress had value when exploring the ancient texts.

Recently, Lord Zash had become extremely interested in the ancient Sith Lord Tulak Horde; she had Harkun sending acolytes daily to the dark lord's tomb, searching for this artifact or that etching. Harkun brought everything that the others collected to Avaryss, who sorted through each item, looking for clues that might link them to whatever it was that Zash wished to discover.

She found the exercise most challenging. Slowly, she came to the conclusion that it was not the artifacts alone that the lord was interested in. Everything that Zash had Harkun collecting referred to some sort of spell or ritual, a ritual known only to Tulak Horde himself.

Interesting, Avaryss thought, feeling a bit of the old hunger she had known so well back on Fury.

The magic of the ancients still intrigued her.

"Will you be able to provide Lord Zash with what she desires, Acolyte?" Harkun had asked her earlier.

"I'm afraid that it will not be that easy, overseer," she had said, "The writings you have brought me, the artifacts, suggest that they alone are not enough to perform…whatever it is that Lord Zash wishes to perform."

Harkun had frowned.

"What do you mean? Can't you figure out what she wants?"

"I can," Avaryss said, "But the texts and artifacts that you have brought all suggest the same thing. Lord Tulak Horde was not the type to leave his power laying around for another to seize easily. The records of the ritual Lord Zash wishes us to find are incomplete. What has been brought only suggest the barest bones of such a ritual, so much else has been left out, likely that information has been stored elsewhere."

Harkun had snarled with frustration.

"But I promised Lord Zash that I would deliver what she seeks! I cannot go before her empty handed.

Avaryss frowned, and was grateful that he could not see it since she was wearing her breathing mask.

 _It was always_ _ **I**_ _and_ **me** _with Harkun, he had her, and his other acolytes, doing_ _ **all**_ _the work, and they would likely not even get a thank you from Lord Zash._

She shook her head.

Harkun's whining was unbefitting a Sith, especially one who was an overseer here on Korriban.

Yet, her continued survival still depended on him.

She realized she would have to play along…sooth his worries.

No matter how much the prospect of it made her gag.

"You are far from empty handed, overseer," she said, "you will have much to turn over to Lord Zash, and besides this is no mere ritual that can be cast in a few hours. It will take Lord Zash months, if not years to set this up.'

He gave her a suspicious look.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that it will take time for her to prepare this…whatever it is. I must admit, this is probably one of the most complex spells that I've ever heard of. The site of the ritual needs to be properly prepared, offering made, sacrifices carried out. Then there are the various artifacts that need to be gathered, sacrifices offered to them to see that they are properly charged…"

Avaryss grinned.

"Do not look at this as a failure, Overseer, look at this as a long term opportunity. Lord Zash will need your help for quite a while if she is going to pull this off."

Harkun nodded; slowly a wicked smile came to his lips.

No doubt he could see the value of a long term deal between him and the Dark Lord.

Avaryss had not even needed to lie to him. Whatever it was that Zash was planning, it was no simple thing. There was not enough information here to suggest what the purpose of this ritual might be, but it was something that would need to be carried out to perfection. One mistake, one tiny element not where it needed to be and the entire ritual would fail, perhaps quite spectacularly. The texts that Harkun had brought her all suggested that a lot of life energy was needed for this ritual, which meant that it was something major. Only death could pay for life. In fact it reminded her a little of a death field, but a Sith could conjure a death field on her own, she would not need all these artifacts, and special chants for something so simple.

No, Zash was playing a much larger game, a game that would likely not end well for…well…someone.

She had just enough compassion left in her to feel sorry for whoever that person was.

Harkun did not need to know that. She said nothing more, simply returning to her work. Eventually he dismissed her for the evening and she was allowed to return to her quarters.

Between the fight earlier and the huge amount of data she had gone through, her head spun. She welcomed the chance to rest.

IOI

As she lay on her bed, listening to the steady in and out of her respirator, she realized that there were some things that a Sith could get used to…

She sighed.

…and there were some things that would never be easy.

She wished for sleep, but it did not come. Sleep had been the hardest thing to find in the last few months. The old nightmares had returned in earnest, and a few new ones had joined their ranks.

She shook her head.

She had slept deeply and all night when she had found her rest in Fehl's arms. Her darkest knight had shielded her, the feel of his body, that musky male scent. It had been all that she had needed to feel safe and secure.

Safety is a lie, she thought, Security can only be achieved by destroying one's enemies utterly. What I felt was a fiction, an empty prayer…it was pathetic!

The realization stung, but it was one she had come to accept.

 _ **She**_ had been pathetic. She had thought that Fehl was going to change her whole life for the better. That he was going to make everything all right again.

She had been so naïve.

She sat up in bed, angry at herself for her weakness. She tried to draw on that strength; let it tear through the malaise. Once again she felt a flicker of power, as the darkside reached out to her through the many cracks in the barrier.

It is time for another test, she thought, nodding grimly.

She reached up, and disengaged her breathing mask, the steady in and out stopped.

She slipped it off her face, and slowly, surely, drew in an unaided breath.

It felt normal, the air tasted sweeter with no trace of kolto in it, no medication robbing her of her pain.

For the briefest of moments, she felt like herself again, she felt relief. The medical droids all insisted that she would need to wear the damn thing for at least another four months…

…perhaps they were wrong, perhaps she could…?

 **COUGH!**

 **COUGH!**

 **COUGH!**

Avaryss wheezed, her lungs not expanding as they should, her chest burned.

She struggled to hold onto her anger, to let it buffer her against such pain, and hold herself in that moment. She…

 **COUGH!**

 **COUGH!**

She cursed herself for a weakling.

She was not strong enough!

She quickly pulled the respirator back on, sealing it over her face; again she tasted kolto, and medicated air.

The steady in and out of her breathing returned, the pain in her chest subsided.

She pounded the mattress in frustration.

So much for hoping she was healing faster than expected.

In that brief sad moment, she had found clarity, understanding of what had happened. Fehl had been murdered, and his killer was still out there somewhere, but she did not have to look far to find the killer's accomplice.

She looked upon her every day in the mirror.

Tremel had been right; she _**was**_ responsible for Fehl's death. She had been as much a distraction for him as he had been for her. Had they not gotten together, he would not have been so focused on the two of them having a life together. He would have been focused on his training.

She should never have let him in.

He had brought her pleasure, that was true, but everything else…that had been a mistake.

Never again, she thought, I will never let myself be led so far astray again.

Love had no place in the heart of a Sith. She had learned that lesson the hard way.

She would never forget it.

She settled in for another evening of meditation. It would be another very long night. She noticed a light flashing on her data pad; someone had left her a message.

She rose from where she was kneeling and retrieved it, the message was encrypted of course, but that was okay, she suspected who had sent it, and knew the password.

It was from Taya, of course, her servant claimed to have come up with a plan. She informed her that it would take time to set up, but, if everything went as she hoped, there was a good chance that Avaryss would soon have full access to her abilities again.

Avaryss shook her head; she could only imagine what the blonde acolyte had come up with. Taya was many things, but a skilled planner she was not.

For Avaryss to finally break through the blocks that held her back, it would require more than mere anger. It would require some act that would leave her in a state of complete and unrelenting fury.

So far…she had discovered nothing with the power to take her that far.

She doubted that Taya could have beaten her to it.

Still what choice did she have? The alternative was to remain Harkun's lackey forever, and that was something she found unacceptable.

Let her try, Avaryss thought.

It was not like she had anything to lose.

She erased the message and returned to her meditations. She listened to the steady in and out of her breathing, focusing on her emotions, her anger.

She was responsible for Fehl's death. She may not have done the deed, but…

Self-loathing brought pain, pain brought power. She reached down inside herself, finding that place where the dark side awaited.

She continued to batter the walls of her prison. More cracks formed, but they were not enough, they would never be enough.

If she was to be herself again, she needed to shatter those blocks forever.

So far she had yet to find anything capable of doing that. She would need to continue playing for time.

In the morning she would need to see Harkun again, help him with his latest batch of recruits.

The whole business made her feel dirty, but she could live with that, for now.

I will find my way back, she promised herself.

 _I will not be a pariah forever, when I'm finally whole again everyone in this stinking academy will see what I can do, and then…they will despair._

She grinned hungrily.

They will _**all**_ despair.


	39. She's Back

**Chapter 39: She's Back.**

The day began like any other.

Avaryss awoke and went about her routine. She went down to medical and had a fresh kolto cartridge loaded into her mask, as she waited the medical droids provided her with the necessary nutrients to get through the day, She could not remove the mask to eat, so she had been forced to rely on liquid meals to sustain herself. A long straw extended from her metal chin, allowing her to take in what she needed. She despised the chalky taste, but had little choice. All she could do was endure, and give her lungs time to heal. After tending to those needs she headed down to the library. It would likely be the only time today she would be able to focus on her own studies; Harkun had already made plans for her that evening. The overseer had sent her a message during the night; she had more work to do. Harkun had promised Lord Zash that he would have several texts translated that evening, so she already knew what to expect after her classes concluded.

Another Sith might have complained about having to perform such menial tasks, but Avaryss was not one of them. Whatever it was that Lord Zash was working on, it was clear that it went beyond mere historical research. The young acolyte was intrigued by what the lord had discovered. What she was researching, where it might lead, it offered several new opportunities for an industrious young Sith.

I'll never be able to carry out such a ritual myself, she realized, but I might be able to adapt some of the preparations described here in my own work. The transfer of life energies remained an interest for Avaryss; she welcomed any chance to learn more on the subject.

She doubted that Harkun would have approved, but what did it matter. It was _**she**_ that was doing the bulk of the research.

 _Why should she not claim a little something for herself?_

She smiled at the mere thought.

The old hunger was back, her desire to know everything she could about the dark side, she still did not have full access to her powers, but at the very least she could _study_ the greater mysteries.

When she finally did regain her full strength, she wanted to be **more** than she had been. New ideas formed almost daily for he now. She welcomed the chance to try them out.

Soon enough, she thought, I will be whole again...

…Soon enough.

In the meantime she focused on keeping her enemies at bay. As she began the day's saber training. She did her best to keep her moves as crisp and as strong as she could.

Until she was back to full strength, she could not afford any show of weakness. The other students might have dismissed her, but at least she had enough relevance to continue her training.

It was a dangerous game she was playing. A balancing act, she was walking a tight rope with lightsaber blades for a safety net. One false move and she would be done.

Caution defined everything, at least for the moment.

She hoped to change that, soon enough.

As she worked through the various sequence of Form III, she kept a close eye on her fellow acolytes, observing how they had advanced. She envied the crispness of their moves, the speed and precision the Force granted them.

She reached down inside herself again, sensing the dark side, but still not able to touch it fully. Through weeks of training she had done what she could to tear down the mental wall that kept her powers from her. When she closed her eyes, she saw the vast wall now riddled with cracks, with darkness seeping through where ever it could, that darkness called out to her, trying to reach her.

It gave her access to some of what she had once been, but not enough to completely free herself of the chemical haze that had saturated her blood. You would think the Sith poisons would have worked their way out of her body by now, but still they remained, weakening her, leaving her vulnerable.

 _You should not be surprised,_ the dark voice within growled, _you were not supposed to survive your interrogation. You should not have needed time to recover, because you should have died on that table._

True, but she had not died, had she? Now it fell to her to try and regain what had been taken.

 _Damn Zyn, and damn everyone else here in this karking academy!_

She did her best to hold onto that anger. Spindrall's words continued to guide her, anger helped, but the true all obliterating rage that she required remained elusive. She simply did not have the power to burn away what continued to keep the Force from her.

 _I've made progress though, that has to be enough for now._

The saber instructors chose to keep their exercises light. They commanded the students to ready themselves, daily challenges were about to begin.

After a brief meditation period, the acolytes gathered in a large circle.

"Who offers battle?' one of the instructors called out, "Which of you worms has a challenge he or she wishes to make."

One by one, students that did stepped forward.

Avaryss watched them all with a clinical and trained eye.

The battle to claim Fehl's vacant throne continued.

So far, none of the would-be claimants had achieved enough prestige to seize the vaunted top spot, but they were trying.

Avaryss sneered beneath her breathing mask.

How she despised them all.

Azardi, Hezzan, Mauhl, Devus, and Nass were just a few of the would-be challengers. Fehl had known them all, but feared _**none**_ of them. He had been their superior; none could have touched him, either with the blade or the Force.

Avaryss brow furrowed as she watched them, her eyes gliding over each them one by one.

Had one of them poisoned her love? Was the murderer here?

Avaryss had little doubt. These acolytes would not have dared try to challenge Fehl in life, now in death; they tried to pick over his bones.

It disgusted her.

Though, in truth, it was Nass that hurt the most all. The trio of Nass, Avaryss, and Taya had been so close. They had all but ruled the Butcher's Block. Now, even Taya was no longer welcome at the side of their old ally. Nass had jumped to get Tremel's attention after Fehl had died. The inquisitor's daughter had wasted little time trying to put herself before anyone else.

It was for that reason that Avaryss had not brought her into her schemes. Even Taya sensed that the alliance the three had shared had ended. The blonde might have even tried to kill their former ally had Avaryss allowed it.

For the moment, Avaryss held her back, there were far greater threats stirring around them then Nass. It was those threats that she wanted her ally focused on.

Speaking of Taya, she found _herself_ challenged today. Avaryss watched curiously as her ally was called out by one of the up and coming acolytes.

She watched as her ally drew her double bladed sword and began to circle her opponent. A dark skinned girl that Avaryss did not recognize.

She came in hard and fast on Taya's left, to try and catch the other girl off guard.

Avaryss smiled beneath her mask, no doubt the girl had heard of Taya's reputation for being a soft touch, might have even thought that made her easy prey.

She quickly learned the folly of that belief.

Tay may not have been the most aggressive of Sith, but she knew how to destroy her enemies.

Taya drew her in close, the flourishes of her training blade keeping the other acolyte at bay. Then the girl tried to get inside her guard, neutralize the reach of the double bladed sword. It may have worked, but the sword was not Taya's only weapon. She had clearly had some martial arts training beyond what a common Sith knew.

She caught the girl with a hard elbow to the jaw as she tried to close in for the kill. As her opponent staggered back, dazed, she caught her again with a vicious spin kick, sending her opponent sprawling to the ground.

Before the other girl could recover, Taya drove the point of her training blade down into the base of the other girl's spine. Even at a low setting, it would leave the girl paralyzed from the waist down for an hour or two.

The pained cry was music to Avaryss' ears.

The girl surrendered a few minutes later.

Taya was the winner.

Yet, she did not back off, not yet, Taya placed her training sword against the other girl's neck, she glanced over at Avaryss, as if she was asking the one she had sworn her service to if this one deserved to die.

Avaryss called her off, killing a beaten opponent when there was neither joy or use was foolish, besides, the Dark Council's desire to increase Sith numbers would not be served by the new acolyte's death.

Taya had made her point; there was no reason to go further.

Tay is growing stronger, she realized, how long until she surpasses me, and when that time comes, what will I do if my own powers have not returned?

Power **was** power; she could not afford to remain without it for much longer.

As the challenges continued, Avaryss continued to evaluate the rest of her fellow students. She watched Nass defeat Mauhl, and Azardi defeat one of the new meat. She tried to reach out with the Force, get more of an idea who had gained more from Fehl's passing; so far she felt little that was useful. The answer remained elusive.

The particulars of Fehl's death had not been released in their entirety. Somethings had been left out, so that overseers might identify the true culprit. Both Harkun and Tremel knew that she wasn't the killer, but that wasn't why her execution had been desired. Even if the overseers discovered who was behind it, it would be unlikely that they would do anything about it. So far the killer had played his or her cards very close to their chest, revealing nothing.

As far as the academy knew, Fehl had died from poisoned wine; wine that had been laced with roxx wart venom. A common enough poison, easy to get, in high doses the effect even resembled synox, or so she had been told.

So far Avaryss had heard none of the other students mention synox, or a poisoned war blade. The killer would know that was how it had been done, but few else. The only reason Avaryss knew was because of Zyn, and the fact that she had not been expected to survive her interrogation.

So the killer is no fool, she realized, that or is more careful than a common Sith. Slowly she was working on eliminating all possible suspects. The most obvious one she had cleared first, that of course, was Taya.

Taya had a reason to want Fehl dead. Had she realized that Avaryss was planning to run away with him, she might have taken steps to insure that her vision of the future came true. When she had talked with her ally about the murder, she left out what poison had been used, hoping the other girl might mention synox, she did not. She had also not mentioned the fact that the war blade had been used. Taya's story had never deviated from the official version, which meant she was either innocent, or far cleverer than her ally suspected. In the end, Avaryss had cleared her.

She did not believe that Taya was behind this…

…Which meant she was back to square one, with many suspects and few leads?

She shook her head.

Too many people had profited from Fehl's death. It was not easy to pick out just one. Eventually the killer would make their move for the top spot, but in the meantime…the meantime…

Avaryss froze.

She had been watching one of the contenders, a large brutish human named Hazzan, he had been wearing a cloak over left shoulder, she had not put one and one together until that moment, Hezzan had remained at the back of the pack, but now…now…

Her eyes narrowed. Her heart began to pound.

Hezzan was wearing _**Fehl's**_ cloak. She was sure of it. How in the Emperor's name had he gotten it! She assumed that the cloak had been sent back to Dromund Kaas with Fehl's body, or that it had been destroyed with his body if that had been the case.

Clearly that assumption had been wrong.

For the first time in months, she felt a flicker of hate; it burned deep down in her gut.

She watched as Hezzan laughed with two of their fellows.

 _You have no right to that cloak,_ she thought.

 _You have_ _ **NO**_ _right!_

Taya glanced her way, perhaps she could hear the change in Avaryss' breathing. She maybe even sensed the anger in her friend.

She shot her a curious look.

Avaryss did not care; she did not even try to hide her emotions.

The acolyte's presumption angered her.

He was practically _mocking_ Fehl's memory, his and hers.

The arrogance!

Her heart was pounding; she could hear it in her ears, even over the steady in and out of her respirator. She was not even paying attention to the challenges now; she had eyes for only one thing, and one thing only.

That does not belong to you; she wanted to shout at Hezzan. It was Fehl's; by right it should be mine!

 _It is just a piece of cloth;_ her sense of caution reminded her _, let it go._

But she couldn't! It was a piece of Fehl. She…she had not even got the chance to say good bye.

One of Fehl's enemies did not deserve it; they had not taken it in battle. Hezzan had not killed him…

…or had he?

Avaryss snarled under her breath.

Perhaps, she had found the killer after all; perhaps he had finally decided to reveal himself.

"Are there any more challenges," the instructor called out, "Or have you maggots had your fill of blood for the day."

She should not have spoken up, it was just a cloak; it meant **nothing!**

Yet, Avaryss stepped forward, despite everything she knew to be smart.

When she spoke, her voice was as hard as steel.

"HEZZAN! I CHALLENGE!"

She realized what she had done then, all eyes were on her. It took all of her courage not to step back in shame.

She wasn't ready.

 _Step back, fool! Step back or die._

 _I won't do it,_ she thought, _not this time._

 _I won't._

Hezzan stepped forward, a cruel smirk on his face.

"I accept," he purred, letting Fehl's cloak fall to the ground like a piece of trash.

The pounding in Avaryss chest grew louder.

The arrogance!

The gall!

She drew her training saber, as her opponent drew his; the two acolytes began to circle, feeling each other out. The others watched curiously, Avaryss had not stepped into the dueling ring since her interrogation.

They were eager to see how much of her Zyn had left functioning.

Hezzan laughed cruelly.

"I wish you had challenged me a month ago," he snarled, "Destroying you now will be worth very little."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed she began pouring every bit of strength she could muster into her shield.

She would be ready to take on this threat.

"You have Fehl's cloak," she said coldly, "Where did you get it?"

Her opponent chuckled.

"It was a gift actually, from someone who understands where I'm going, the destiny that awaits me."

Avaryss sneered.

Fehl had known what future the fool had had. He was weak, and did not understand when he was in the presence of his betters.

Avaryss was willing to teach him.

She knew she could not play this the way she once would have. She did not have the strength to maintain Soresu for long. She needed to end this quickly.

A shame, she would have enjoyed savoring this fool's pain.

Hezzan's style was fairly basic, He used the Shii-cho and had some skill with Ataru, beyond that, nothing.

Before her interrogation, he would have been beneath her notice.

"Did you kill Fehl?" she growled.

The large man laughed.

"Everyone knows who killed Fehl," he cackled, "You did. What was the matter farm girl? Did he grow bored with your charms? Had he had his fun and decided to find something better?"

The other acolyte smirked.

"Never could settle for something for long, myself. I guess Fehl couldn't either, you let him have a taste of everything he wanted then…"

Avaryss had heard enough.

She attacked.

She shifted her stance and came at her foe with Makashi, the duelist's style. Hezzan had not expected it. Everyone knew that Avaryss preferred the slower Soresu to wear her opponent down before going in for the kill.

She rained super-fast blows down on her opponent. Hezzan might have been larger, but lacked the speed necessary to counter her quick flurry.

He found himself on his back, with her hammering down with her training blade, trying to break through his last defense.

Somehow Hezzan managed to gather enough energy to cause her to lose her balance, to fall back a few steps. It was just enough, and he soon found his feet again.

They ended up facing each other; both a bit more cautious then they had been in the beginning.

Avaryss cursed under her breath.

She could already feel her remaining strength slipping away. Her senses beginning to shrink back down into the norm for a human girl.

She doubted Hezzan had the skill to recognize that, but he would not need to.

He would see soon enough.

She had had one chance to end this quickly, one chance to claim victory before her reserves were gone.

She had wasted that opportunity.

Hezzan attacked her anew.

Now it was she fighting for her life.

He surprised her by switching to Djem-so, it's more aggressive attacks would push her far harder and faster, exhaust her reserves that much quicker. She tried to find the rhythm of Soresu, to let the Force guide her blade, but that was simply not to be. She had exhausted everything she had gathered.

Now…she was struggling simply to stay alive.

Things did not look good for her. Hezzan continued to push her. Her blocks and parries became less crisp, that sense of anticipation that guided her blade before flickered on and off. She tried to claim the initiative, but was cut off at every possible turn.

 _He is toying with me_ , she realized, _trying to drag this out, make himself look better._

The realization only made her angrier, she tried to draw on that, use it give her just a little bit more power, but no new well-spring of strength opened up. She was fading, and fading fast, it was only a matter of time until….

"AHHHHHHH!"

Avaryss yelped as she missed a block with her training blade. Hezzan's weapon caught her full in the left side. The shock of it made her yelp and stagger as her muscles were disrupted by the other acolyte's strike.

She staggered back on wobbly legs, trying to fight against the pain, but to no avail.

She collapsed...somehow she used her forearms to catch her before she fell face first on the academy floor.

She looked up at her opponent, he was grinning triumphantly.

Her heart continued to pound, and not just from the strike, and of being shocked by Hezzan's blade.

I've lost, she realized, her breath wheezing from her respirator.

I've lost.

Hezzan advanced, a hungry look on his face. Avaryss did not look away, she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her ashamed.

So he had beaten her, very well, she would give him no further satisfaction.

She had gambled, and lost.

She was prepared to face the consequences.

"Beg," he said with a sneer on his lips, "Beg me for mercy, Farm Girl."

She glared up at him.

"No."

His smirk turned into a sneer, he reached out with the Force, lifting her up a few feet and slamming her down hard on the stones.

The blow knocked the wind from her, but still she did not yield.

 _I'm sorry Fehl,_ she thought, _I've failed you._

She only just held back a whimper.

 _I'm **so** sorry._

She once again found Hezzan's eyes; she heard the hum of his training saber increase as he turned up the power.

Now it **was** set to kill.

She did not doubt that her opponent had the will to use it.

She tried to lift her own weapon, only to have it ripped from her fingers by the Force. Disarmed, she could do nothing but lay there, trying hard not to pass out from the pain.

Again Hezzan reached out with the Force, not to her body this time, but to the mask she wore.

Avaryss gasped as the mask started to contract, she felt the metal squeezing her jaw, she heard a snapping sound as the kolto cartridges within the mask broke, the medicinal fluid ran down her neck, she grasped the respirator as it began to fail. She tried to hold it together with her fingers.

She may very well have been trying to stop the tide on some distant water world.

Her chest began to burn, without the medicated air, her lungs would not fill enough to keep her conscious, much less upright.

The world began to turn red, black spots danced before her eyes.

Hezzan looked down on her like he would upon something unsettling you saw on a public walkway.

He spit on her.

"The hero of Butcher's Clearing," he hissed, "What a joke! All you have done is waste the overseer's time. All you did was waste Fehl's time."

He shook his head.

"You are not worthy of this academy! You are not worthy to stand among us.

Avaryss said nothing; she was struggling to simply stay awake.

The pounding in her chest continued, growing louder, drowning out almost everything else.

"I never understood you Fury rats," Hezzan continued, "I killed three of you during my time in Lord's Reach. I never understood how you could not accept the way things were. Why you thought you were worthy to stand with the rest of us."

He shook his head.

"I always knew it was Fehl that was protecting you, perhaps using his powers to make you think you were better than what you truly were. Well, I've just disproved your myth haven't I? You are unfit to walk the halls of this academy. Now…you know it.

Avaryss continued to glare at him, listening at the pounding in her chest, and the pounding in her head.

She struggled against unconsciousness.

I will not give up, she thought.

 _He will have to **kill** me first!_

Hezzan stepped forward, his blade humming loudly.

"Tonight I throw you back into the gutter you crawled out of, Farm Girl. You are not worthy to be a lord. Fehl may have taken pity on you, but that is done. You won't be able to sleep your way back to the top this time."

She continued to look up at him, the world was fading, but in its fading it was also burning. It felt like her very veins were on fire.

 _Kill me, already,_ she wanted to shout.

 _JUST. KILL. ME!_

She found herself in two places at once, both on the floor of the academy, and before the wall in her mind. The pounding she was hearing was not just her heart, but the dark side itself. She could hear it, slamming against the mental barriers that kept it from her.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

In that moment everything else vanished. The world, the other acolytes, even her own fading life, they were gone, they did not matter.

All she saw was Hezzan, the fool who dared to mock her love by wearing his cloak.

She hated him. HATED! HIM!

It did not matter if she died; nothing mattered, not if she got the chance to flay the flesh from his bones.

It was a hunger she could not deny.

She wanted blood, and was willing to do anything to get it.

The world seemed to stop, she saw Hezzan pause, in mid-step, she saw the look on the faces of her fellow acolytes, and knew most of them were enjoying her final moments.

Arrogant pieces of dirt!

They all deserved to die squealing!

In that moment, the darkness behind the wall seemed to change, it came down beside her, it seemed to condense, becoming something smaller darker.

She felt a brief feeling of terror, but then it passed away.

The shadow took shape, a shape she both desired and despised.

Fehl stood before her, a being of the blackest of shadows.

Her darkest knight given form.

She shuddered with both shame and desire.

"Are you going to let him get away with talking to you like that, my love?" the shadow asked.

He shook his head.

"That is not how I would expect the future mother of my children to react."

The mention of children, children that would now never be, made her moan in agony.

So much had been taken from her, so much.

"I want to join you," she thought, "please, I'm tired of suffering."

The Fehl thing grinned.

"Get up, darling," he growled, "Get up, and make **them** suffer! Make them pay for your pain!"

Fehl began to beat his hands against the wall, she saw it spider web with cracks. He struck it again and again.

She felt the darkness burning with in her, pure…white hot…FURY!

In her mind she stood, her hands reaching out for Fehl, wanting to touch him one last time.

"I want you," she murmured, "Please come back to me."

"Open the way and I will, my darkest star, my lady of shadows."

Inspired by his words she began to push against the wall, it continued to splinter, it cut her hands, but there was no pain, only the sharp sting of hatred, it felt like it was almost ready to boil over.

She feared her heart would stop.

"Do you want to die alone?" Fehl asked.

"No," she replied.

"Then take me into your arms," he said laughing.

"I love you, Avaryss."

"Come back to me."

She continued to push, she felt it starting to give way, felt it cracking.

"Do you give up," Fehl asked.

"No."

"Do you wish to lose?"

"No."

"Does Hezzan deserve to live?"

NO!"

The shadow that was both Fehl and the dark side grinned.

"Will you be stopped?

Will you be denied?"

Will you fail?"

Avaryss looked at him with hunger in her pale red eyes. She had only one word for her lover and for the dark side.

And in that moment, when she said it aloud, she was back in the academy, Hezzan's blade was falling, it had seemed to have been falling forever.

Say the word, Fehl said as his voice faded.

It is time to wake up.

She glared up at both Hezzan and Fehl, her heart pounding in her ears, and in that moment she said the word that would change her life again.

"NOOOOOOO!"

The words exploded from her lips, and with them, the mental block that had been holding her powers at bay, exploded as well.

The dark side flooded her mind; it lifted Avaryss up, drowning her in its power.

The shadow that wore Fehl's face embraced her, breathing life into her starved damaged body.

She looked up and saw Hezzan, she was filled with such a hate that it could have torn an entire planet in two.

She used the Force to stop his blade. She saw his eyes widen in surprise, he had not expected this.

The Fury was on her like heat lightning. She reached out with the Force.

 _You do not deserve to strike me with that sword,_ she thought, _you don't deserve to strike anyone._

She gestured with her left hand.

Every bone in Hezzan's wrists and hands shattered.

The acolyte howled in agony!

Yet, Avaryss was **not** done!

The power of the dark side was coursing through her veins, her emotions were raw. She felt fury, shame, anguish, and the desire to see this man punished for every humiliation she had endured in the last few months.

She used the Force to lift herself up, her leg muscles would not respond, she needed the Force to find and keep her feet. She seized him by the throat; he looked up at her, his mouth working, his eyes wide with terror.

"I hunger," she gasped.

"Feed me."

Orange light flowed from her hand and into her struggling victim. The spell came to her with barely a word or a gesture. His screams rose as fire burned through Avaryss' blood. Her lungs felt like they were filled with red flame, the dark side forcing the damaged tissue to heal, her eyes and ears burned as well, as life energy flooded through her, waking her up, and burning away the last of the Sith poisons from her body. It was both torment and the most profane of ecstasies.

Part of her did not wish it to end.

She was not sure how long it lasted, but when it was done, she felt rejuvenated, scoured clean, and transformed. The pain caused by Hezzan's training blade was gone; she stood easily, her head held high.

She tore off the damaged respirator, and flung it across the room.

She did **not** need it anymore!

She took a deep breath, filling her restored lungs with air. It was her first real breath since waking in the medical room after her interrogation. She tasted blood in her mouth from when he had tried to crush it over her face.

She grinned down at him.

The air tasted sweeter than it ever had, even with the taste of her own blood... It tasted like victory, and perhaps the tears of her victims.

She laughed.

It had been too long.

Hezzan was not dead, **not** yet; she could feel his weak pulse between her fingers. She was filled with a dark hunger, part of her longed to end it, to make him just a pile of ash, a warning to whomever else would oppose her.

Time sped up again, or perhaps simply returned to normal. She found herself surrounded by her fellow acolytes, she could sense their emotions again, a mix of shock, disbelief, and even fear.

She almost smiled.

 _Fear_ , she thought.

 _They don't know the meaning of the word, yet._

 _She would teach them, oh yes._

 _They_ _ **would**_ _learn._

"Avaryss!"

The sharp bark calling out her name, made her look up in surprise.

Both Harkun and Tremel stood there, both of them watching her.

She glared hatefully at them.

"That is enough, Avaryss," Tremel said in that soft commanding voice of his.

"Release him; you have made your point."

She almost laughed.

Her point…but he was still alive?

She had not made her point yet.

She looked down at Hezzan, his eyes barely focused, so close to the edge of death.

"Did you do it," she hissed, "Did you kill Fehl?"

Are **you** …the one I seek?"

The beaten acolyte shook his head no, and through the Force, she knew he was not lying.

She sighed and cursed under her breath.

Damn.

My hunt continues.

She heard giggling; she looked up and saw Taya watching her, an excited look on her pretty face.

Avaryss was tempted to kill the man anyway, despite the overseer's orders.

Still she held back.

Hezzan had given her what she needed, that sweet moment of pure fury.

She would grant him his life, for now.

Thought it would likely not seem like a reward to him, he would suffer greatly in the next few weeks.

 _Good,_ she thought.

 _Let him_ _ **suffer!**_

She turned him loose; he fell to the ground at her feet.

She looked at her fellows; they all backed away, looks of disbelief on their faces.

Let them look, she thought, and let them beware.

She turned to leave, she was done with her training for the day, but first she paused, and gestured to fallen cloak on the ground.

It leapt into her hands; she held it close to her heart, shielding it from the others. She also called out to her training blade, just in case.

She did not think anyone foolish enough to attack her on her way back to her room, but why take chances.

She left them then, her fellows, the teachers, and the overseers. She said not a word, what was left to say.

She smiled, and held the cloak up to her face, despite being in the hands of that fool Hezzan; it still smelled like her beloved.

Tears of joy ran down her cheeks.

"Thank you, my love," she murmured.

The dark side coursed through her, lifting her up making her strong.

She did not even bother looking back at the others, in that sweet moment they were nothing.

Let the galaxy beware, she thought grinning savagely.

I'm back!


	40. Shadows

**Chapter 40: Shadows**

Her emotions were raw, like an exposed nerve. After weeks of being denied the true spectrum of both her powers and the dark side itself, Avaryss now felt like she was running a gauntlet. Elation quickly turned into fury, which turned into guilt, and pain. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she meditated going deeper and deeper into the darkness, opening herself up to all her emotions.

It was torment, a special kind of agony. She felt herself stretching out as never before, the universe itself seemed to be unfurling before her.

The young acolyte smiled.

It had been far too long.

After displaying her restored powers in the dueling ring, she had returned to her room. She spoke to no one, there was no one here that she wished to see, she did not even emerging for evening meal, which her growling stomach now refused to let her forget. She could have used some real food after being stuck on a liquid diet for so long, but that could wait.

The only hunger that mattered was her hunger for power, that and the knowledge it would bring.

She had felt something when her powers had returned. At first she had thought nothing of it, but the more she dwelled on it, the more she realized that she would not be satisfied until she explored every option.

The desire drove her to meditate, her first true meditation, since losing her abilities to Zyn's bungling.

She floated several feet above her bed, her body a glow with crimson light. All around her small objects left loose in her chambers orbited her. Her data pad, a cleaning rag for her war blade, even an empty kolto cartridge floated around her, all caught up in the ebb and flow of the dark side.

Though closed her eyes darted quickly beneath her eyelids.

 _Where are you_ , she wondered.

 _Are you_ _ **still**_ _here?_

The last few moments of her freeing her powers played over and over again in her mind. She remembered seeing Fehl, hearing his voice, sensing him through the Force, but that was impossible, was it not?

Fehl was dead. Yet, he had been at her side when she found the strength to shatter the walls around her mind.

It had not just been a hallucination.

It had been him!

She felt it!

They had made contact.

She took a deep breath through her nose and breathed it out slowly through her mouth, trying not to think of how good it felt to be able to do so. She did not miss the sound of a respirator mask.

She shook her head.

She could not imagine having to wear such a mask for the rest of her life. How could any Sith, no matter how powerful they might be; endure such a fate.

Being left in such a state, it would have driven her mad.

She was more than grateful that it was over.

Forget the past, the dark voice within said, focus on the present, reach out with your senses.

If Fehl's presence is still here somewhere, you must find it.

You cannot let it end as it has.

His cloak sat in her lap, she used it as a focus, to try and draw out the presence she sought. The archives were full of tales of Sith maintaining their consciousness after death. They remained as Force spirits, close to the place where they had fallen. She had heard that the Jedi believed that a person should become one with the Force when they died, that everything they were flowed back into Force, and dissolved into part of a greater whole.

Such a fate did not appeal to her. If it was possible to continue on after physical death, she understood why the dark lords of old preferred to do so.

The Sith had lost so much to their enemies, hounded and attacked like common criminals. Hunted down and destroyed like they were plague carriers. It was necessary to take steps to ensure their survival, even if it meant cheating true death, cheating it, and choosing to remain on this plane of existence, to guide the next generation, ensure the order's survival.

A Sith left nothing to chance, only their survival mattered, if a Force user had the strength to remain, why should they not?

Her Fehl had been that strong. If he continued to exist, she wished to find him.

If he was still here, there was still a chance for them.

 _If you can hear me,_ she thought, _give me a sign._

 _Let me know that I'm_ _ **not**_ _crazy._

She had slipped so deeply into the dark side that she had no trouble sensing Taya's approach. She could feel the other girl's giddy anticipation for their upcoming meeting.

Of all of the people at this Academy, only Taya had believed that she could find her way back to true power. The girl's vision of the future might have appeared selfish, but it had inspired Avaryss to keep going.

Surely such loyalty deserved something, Avaryss realized.

She retreated from her place in the darkness, and gently lowered herself back to the ground. Taya's knock sounded just as Avaryss had finally fully emerged from her place within the dark side.

She gestured, causing the door to unlock, allowing her friend and servant entrance.

Taya stepped inside, a manic grin on her face.

"How are you feeling, Avy?" she asked

Avaryss smirked.

"Transformed," she replied.

Taya laughed.

"I can certainly see that."

"Really," Avaryss said giving her an arched look.

"How so?"

Taya held up a small mirror to her.

Avaryss' grin widened.

Her skin had gone almost bone white; there was some bruising on her cheeks, likely from pushing herself by using life drain so soon after her full powers had returned, but that did not matter, using the dark side always came with some price. The formerly dull red color of her eyes had brightened, they now shown like they were filled with red flame.

I've changed so much, she thought, she was a far cry from the farm girl that the Imperial Mission had smuggled off of Oridanna all those months ago. In fact, Keera Lylos' life seemed more of a dream to her now than actual memories. Her pursuit of the dark side had all but consumed her.

Strangely enough, that did not frighten her as it may have once.

Fade away Keera, she thought with a pleased smirk.

Avaryss needs full use of your body now.

Taya stepped back, still grinning from ear to ear.

"You have reclaimed Fehl's cloak I see, good."

Taya giggled excitedly.

"I'm glad that it served its purpose. I think it is safe to say my plan was a success."

Avaryss blinked.

" **Your** plan?"

The blonde nodded.

"It was not easy acquiring it; it took some time, credits needed to be spread around."

She laughed lightly.

"Father probably wondered what I needed credits for here on Korriban, but at least he was able to get them."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"It was **you** ," she said flatly.

" _ **You**_ gave the cloak to Hezzan."

Taya nodded.

"I've been watching you these last few weeks, seeing what truly angered you, few things triggered a truly emotional response. You said you needed something that could help you find your fury again. The only thing that I observed involved Fehl, not surprising considering your relationship.

The blonde grinned.

"Hezzan is an ass. I knew he wouldn't question my "gift." I did not even have to go out of my way to compliment him. He took the cloak like it was his due."

Taya snorted with amusement.

"The look on his face when you grabbed him, when you started to drain him, It was _**priceless!**_ It was…"

She stopped in her track, no doubt noticing the look on her ally's face.

Avaryss was not pleased.

"Why did you not tell me?" she demanded.

"Because it might not have had the proper effect had you been told in advance," Taya said quickly, trying to cut off any argument or perhaps something worse.

She dropped to one knee.

"Know that I did not seek to insult you, Avy. I merely thought to give you motivation to tear away the last of the shackles that bound your powers, and it worked. It worked!"

She looked up at her friend; Avaryss' eyes remained cold evaluating.

Taya dropped her head again.

"I did not wish to betray you, Avy. All I wanted was to help you find your way back. I…I accept whatever form of punishment you think is appropriate, but…I beg you to consider the result. You are yourself again. Please…please don't kill me, I…I can still be useful to you."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

Taya was not wrong, she realized. She had had only limited success in freeing her emotions. Taya's plan had worked.

Yet, the dark side still hungered to punish her for forgetting her place. She had sworn to serve Avaryss, to obey her will.

By not telling her what she had in mind, was that _not_ betrayal? Did it truly matter that it had worked?

The dark side screamed to punish her servant, but the part of her that was grateful for her aid stood oppose to it.

Avaryss smiled coldly.

"The penalty for treason among the Sith is death, my friend," she reminded Taya.

The blonde looked up her eyes widening.

Avaryss chuckled.

"Of course, if you betrayed anyone, you betrayed Hezzan, not me."

She gestured for her to stand.

"You may rise, with both my blessing and my thanks."

Taya sighed with relief as she obeyed, her wide excited smile had returned.

"What is next for us, Avy? Now that you are whole again, how do we proceed?"

Avaryss smirked.

"Now comes the hard part," she said, "Now we must complete our training here. We must find lords to take us to the next level."

She grinned and ran her finger down Taya's face, the other girl shuddered, a mix of fear and pleasure.

"A Sith cannot have two masters," she reminded her, "Which means we must step away from each other for a while. We must both focus on surviving our final trials here, and being taken as apprentices."

"That will not be hard for you now," Taya said grinning, "No doubt the dark lord that saved your life will soon hear of your return to power. How could such a person not want you for his apprentice?"

Avaryss nodded,

"You may be right, but for the moment, we must both focus on ourselves. You impressed me with your savagery in the dueling ring, you must stay that course. You have both the name and the connections to find a proper master. He or she must suspect nothing; you must serve them like they are your one and true master."

Avaryss expression turned sly.

"But never forget your vision, or your oath to me. Be the good little apprentice; do what is expected of you, learn from your new master, add their strength to your own, and then, when they have nothing left to teach you…"

Taya giggled.

"Dispose of them."

Exactly," Avaryss purred, "By then I should hopefully be in a position to do the same. Then we can turn our attention to making that vision of yours a reality."

In truth, Taya's vision excited her now more than she let on. She imagined over throwing her master. Overthrowing him or her, and claiming everything that was theirs.

Then…perhaps…I will be strong enough to finally confront Darth Feer. The thought made her giddy. They would meet as equals, rival lords, and on that day, only one would walk away.

Such was the way of the Sith, the will of the dark side, the strong continued, and the weak were cast aside and forgotten.

On that wondrous day, it would be Darth Feer; he would finally answer for the death of the Lylos family…

 _Why is that so important to you?_ The dark voice within inquired.

Avaryss blinked.

She was not entirely sure.

Feer had been Keera Lylos' motivation. Avaryss' appetite had grown beyond such a small goal.

If one could consider killing a Darth a small goal.

She shook her head.

Feer still controlled Oridanna and the rest of the worlds in the system. Even if she did abandon her vengeance against him, his holdings would still enrich her, building an even stronger power base.

Yes, she realized, she would kill Darth Feer, his holdings were too rich a prize to pass up.

The part of her that was still Keera and cried out for revenge would have it, and Avaryss would slake her thirst for power.

It was as good a motivation as any.

Whoever her mystery benefactor was, would find her an able and loyal apprentice, at least until she had the power to claim her own desires.

When she did, it would be time to take her master's place.

It would be a most momentous occasion.

"Is there anything else you need of me, Avy?" Taya asked, "I will help you in any way I can."

Avaryss considered her offer.

She could ask her friend to help her in her attempt to locate Fehl's spirit, but that did not seem like a good idea.

She smiled.

"Focus on your training, Taya," she advised, "I will send word if I need anything."

"As you command," Taya said bowing her head, quickly he girl turned to leave. She paused before leaving; she turned and smiled at her friend.

"It is good to have you back, Avy."

Avaryss grinned.

"Thanks Tay," she said, "that means a lot."

The blonde nodded and left her.

Avaryss pursed her lips, thinking about what she might need to accomplish her goals.

Taya could have been useful, but this was not for her. Fehl had been Avaryss'.

It was up to her to see that what came next worked.

Fehl had been hers, both her love and the bane of her existence here. Had they not given into their passions they may not have endured such suffering. He might still be alive, and she would have not have had to face becoming a pariah.

Still…if there was even a small chance that he still remained here, if he could be bound to her side…

She found herself thinking about Lord Zash; Zash and the work that Harkun had her doing. She was starting to suspect that Zash's spell might have something to do with the ancient art of essence transfer. That the dark lord was seeking to find a way of moving a spirit into a new form, a new body.

She would need more time to research, but she suspected that even if she did not have access to all the supplies that Lord Zash did, it was still possible that it might just work. She might just be able to adapt what she had learned in the writings that Zash had given them, and use them to build a spell of her own...

…The means to raise the dead.

It was possible; If Fehl's ghost _**was**_ still here, if it had not passed into the madness beyond death, it might just be possible to save it to save him. She could do it, with the proper ritual of course, she knew it. She might even be able to find a way to bring him back.

She would need the right kind of body of course. Male, powerful in the Force, handsome and fierce, a body that would allow Fehl to achieve his own goals, while, at the same time, satisfy her needs…he would be grateful for a second chance at life, even more so knowing that the woman he loved had done the deed, that she had cheated death itself to bring him back to her arms., to feel his kiss on her lips once more.

It would mean destroying someone else to accomplish this, maybe more than one, but wasn't that what her lessers were for? She was Sith, or soon would be.

What did it matter to a Sith if she had to step on someone to achieve her goals?

I would destroy an entire star system to bring him back, she realized. I would kill the Emperor and the entire dark council if Fehl could be mine again.

The realization surprised her.

At long last she finally understood why, Keera Lylos' family had to die, why she should have died.

What was one innocent life compared to the desires of a dark lord? What did a thousand lives matter, a million, they were just fuel for the fire.

She nodded grimly.

Feer still had to die, but she understood him better.

In his position, she might just make the same call.

She grinned.

Speaking of calls…

She sat Fehl's cloak aside, leaving it where it would not get dirty or damaged.

She left her room, eager to find Overseer Harkun.

Hopefully Lord Zash had sent him the texts that she needed translated.

Avaryss was eager to help, in fact, she was over eager.

Every secret she learned was another piece of a greater puzzle.

She would be Sith, and then…she would have it all.

A title.

Her lover.

A star system of her own, why stop there?

The dark side was with her, and with it as her ally, the entire galaxy was waiting for her to claim it.

It would welcome her with open arms.

She giggled.

After all…a Sith was welcome where ever she went.

If not…well…

A Sith could be very persuasive when she wanted to be…

…very persuasive indeed.


	41. Trial

**Chapter 41: Trial**

" **Avaryss…** _ **kill**_ **him!"**

She watched the color drain from the young acolyte's face. He was one of five that stood before Harkun today, another group sent here to Korriban far too soon, _unready_. The Overseer had been berating them, as usual, yet even they had not realized that he was preparing to remove one of them.

That he had merely been waiting to give _**her**_ a kill order.

She grinned at her future victim.

 _Go on_ , she wanted to tell him, _draw your sword, gather your strength; call on the Force to shield yourself, at least try; try and make me break a sweat._

The frightened acolyte backed away, preparing to run.

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

 _Fine._

She raised her hand, her fingers curling inward like claws. She reached out with the Force.

The acolyte's flight stopped, he began to gasp and claw at his throat.

Avaryss felt a slight pressure in her ears, the Force within her responding to her command, choking the poor fool.

The other students paled as she continued her attack, she could feel the fear radiating off of them, and it only disgusted her further.

 _What was dark council thinking_ , she wondered, _it took time to shape a hopeful into a Sith Acolyte, just throwing young recruits into the shark tank that was Korriban was wasting so much valuable potential, not to mention time._

At her side Harkun was grinning reveling in the young man's suffering, drinking it in through the Force, Avaryss did not blame him.

It was a heady sensation to be sure…

…yet, it was over so quickly.

She slowly turned her open hand into a fist, and was rewarded with the sweet sound of bones breaking; a single death rattle escaped the boy's throat as he fell to the floor of Harkun's office, his neck crushed to powder.

She smiled serenely at the remaining students.

"Is there anyone else who would like to volunteer?" she said jovially, "I have some lovely new spells I have just learned, who wants to be my first test subject?"

No voices answered, they looked upon her as prey animal did upon tukata.

Harkun chuckled.

"Patience, Avaryss," he advised, "I'm sure you will find new prey soon enough."

She continued to smile at the would-be Sith.

"I can barely wait, Overseer."

Harkun turned his attention back to his new students, any sense of warmth faded from his voice.

"As for the rest of you slimes, you know your next trial, get to it," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "I will decide the rest of your fates when you return."

The new students rushed off, leaving Harkun, Avaryss, and the body of her victim behind.

She looked down on the body with a sense of…confusion.

He had been weak, beneath her notice, and not even strong enough to try and defend himself, by purging him she had served not only the empire but the dark side. Still…she felt a slight twinge of guilt; she did not let it show, not to Harkun, but…

It was there none the less.

In the weeks since her powers had returned she had been drawing deeper and deeper on the dark side, using it to grow stronger. Her passions were fueling her strength, and granting her new power in return. Her increased power allowed her to turn her attention inward, looking to wipe away the last bit of light within in her, it should have been easy, she should have been able to wash away any remaining trace of compassion within her, to drown it in darkness, yet…some still remained, untouched.

It was most disturbing.

When she focused on, that small glowing shard, it felt…well…it felt like a tether, that she was bound to the light in some strange way. She was surrounded by the sweet cold embrace of the darkness, but could not fully drift into the shadows; the light kept pulling her back, holding her, restraining her.

That restraint angered her.

Was that why she had _**not**_ been able to commune with Fehl's spirit, was _that_ what was holding her back?

"You have done well, Acolyte."

She blinked, remembering where she was, returning to her place at Harkun's side.

She smiled serenely.

"It took me some time, overseer," she confessed, "But now I fully embrace the ideals of the Sith and this Academy."

"Really," he said turning to face her, perhaps searching for some sign of deception.

"Yes," she said bowing her in submission, "I let my passions guide my actions instead of feeding on them, using them to grow stronger."

She looked up, letting the raw hunger for power come into her voice.

"I should have never sought to be Fehl's equal. I should have pushed myself to be his superior. He should have been my prize, not my equal."

Harkun chuckled cruelly.

"That likely would have ended with one of your deaths," he reminded her, "Fehl was not the type to bow to anyone."

"Yet he ended up dead anyway," she said, letting a trace of sadness seep into her voice, a result of the light tether that was wrapped so tightly around her heart, not enough to notice, but it was there. "Yet even in death he serves, his loss fuels me, my desire for revenge…"

She grinned.

"But enough about me and _**my**_ motivations, Overseer, we should be talking about you, and your work. Does Lord Zash have anything else for me? Does she have any texts that she needs translated? Has she found any new artifacts that need to be studied?"

Harkun sighed.

"Unfortunately, you will be otherwise engaged this evening," Harkun said sounding a bit disappointed.

He rose from his chair and gestured for her to follow.

"Tremel wishes to see you, we shall go together."

"Yes, overseer," she said bowing slightly before following.

A cold shiver ran down her spine.

Tremel wanted to see her?

What was this all about?

She suspected that it was likely about her alliance with Harkun. Since choosing to ally with him, her fortunes had improved. She helped him with Lord Zash, and served as his enforcer, and in return he opened doors to the secrets of the academy. Once again she was getting private sessions with the instructors, some still blamed her for Fehl's death, but they were in the minority.

"This girl made mistakes, and was punished for them," Harkun reminded them, "But she survived, and has emerged stronger and more determined. She will be taught for the good of the Empire and the Sith."

His defense of her touched Avaryss heart; of course she realized what was really going on.

Harkun only sought to make her a more deadly weapon in his arsenal. She was okay with that.

She would have to endure similar treatment at the hand of any Sith Master who agreed to teach her.

For power, she was willing to make sacrifices.

They made their way down the hall; several students looked back as they passed by. Tales of what had happened in the dueling ring had spread. No longer was she seen as a broken weakling. She would never hold the rank of top student, but that was fine.

They saw her as a blunt instrument, a club that Harkun wielded. Her willingness to do whatever the Overseer asked would appeal to a Sith Master, and the sadistic streak she was nurturing would serve whatever master that took her.

A Sith apprentice was their master's weapon, first and foremost, and as long as her future master was willing to reward her for her actions she would be a humble and willing servant.

At least until she had learned everything her master had to teach.

She smiled slightly at the thought.

On that day, her master would learn just what a good Sith she was.

He or she would likely not survive the experience.

Harkun led her past the large red banners bearing the sigil of the Empire, past the tall hooded statues that seemed to be everywhere in Sith Academies.

She had always felt a little…uncomfortable in the presence of those statues. It always felt like their eyes were upon her, watching her.

Even now she did not look up into those cold stone faces.

She thought that they were supposed to be the Emperor, but she could not say for certain, the features on those statues never appeared to be the same, yet always looked human.

She had always assumed the Emperor was a pure blood, or at the least was half pure blood. It was said that most, if not all, of his closest servants were Sith pure bloods.

Of course what did it matter, the Emperor was the Supreme Being, immortal, all-knowing, and master of them all.

Whatever he was, or had been before his rise meant nothing.

He was the Emperor, and they were his.

It was all that mattered.

They finally reached Tremel's office, the dark skinned overseer stood before his desk, at parade rest, awaiting their arrival.

Harkun nodded to his fellow and joined him at his side. Avaryss stood before them both, her heartbeat quickening, a sense of dark anticipation sweeping over her.

"Overseers," she said bowing deeply to them.

"Acolyte," Tremel said in that soft voice of his, "I think you can guess why you are here?"

She grinned.

"I believe so," she purred hungrily, "Is it time?"

Tremel let her wait for a few seconds before answering let her excitement build.

"It is time," he said, "One of the dark lords have expressed…interest in you Acolyte. They wish to continue your training."

It was all that Avaryss could do to restrain a girlish excited giggle.

Finally…, she thought.

…The next step.

"The lord demands that you face one final test," Harkun said, "The lord wishes to see if you are truly worthy to call yourself an apprentice of the Sith."

"I am worthy," she said, her eyes reflecting her desire, her hunger for power.

"Unleash me, and you will see that I am worthy, the lord will see."

Tremel chuckled.

"You have certainly regained your confidence, that is clear."

"I have walked through torture, agony, loss, and death, and have returned," she growled, "I'm ready to show the Empire just what that means."

"Well," Tremel sneered, "Look who just turned poetic, no matter, your trial will test you, if you are as strong as you believe, you will return to us a full Sith ready to be an apprentice to a lord."

"If you are not," Harkun added, "You will die and be forgotten. Either way, your time in this academy is ending."

"Then send me on my way," she said growing impatient, "I'm eager to test myself."

The two overseers looked at each other and nodded.

"Soon you will be taken from this academy to one of the farthest corners of the Valley of the Dark Lords," Tremel informed her. "Recently the Imperial Reclamation Service has uncovered a new tomb, it is …different from the ones that we know of."

A shiver ran down Avaryss' spine.

A new tomb?

How exciting!

"The tomb is old," Harkun said, "Perhaps older than Ajunta Pall's, at first we thought it smaller than most, but it seems that the bulk of this tomb was built farther underground, deeper than the ones constructed by later dark lords."

"It may even belong to one of the first Jedi Exiles, those that found the Sith people so many millennia ago."

"This will be your testing ground, Acolyte," Harkun said, "It will be here that you will show if you are ready to join the ranks of the Sith."

"Can you tell me anything else about this tomb?" she inquired.

" A full team from the Reclamation service was lost trying to explore it. Before they died they sent back word that the traps within used not only mechanical innovation, but Sith sorcery as well. The reports were unclear, trained researchers dying while wailing at people that were not there."

Avaryss' brow furrowed.

So this tomb had already killed a team of researchers, and now she was being sent in...alone.

She gave Tremel an evil smile.

"Still trying to arrange my death, overseer?" she asked dryly.

"It was the lord's choice to use _this_ tomb over the tomb of Naga Sadow, which we have used many times before."

She nodded grimly.

It seemed that her future master was not going to let things be easy for her.

"What is mission?" she asked.

"Two Sith accompanying the researchers, they survived a bit longer, but were not skilled in sorcery, they had little defense, and were quickly overwhelmed by the traps."

"The one who desires to test you, wishes you to find their bodies," Harkun said, "Find them, and retrieve their lightsabers."

"One of those lightsabers will be for you, your graduation gift," Tremel said, "the second you will offer to your new master as tribute, an offering to show that you are willing to serve."

"You must return with both, or not at all," Harkun said.

Avaryss nodded.

Face the traps, endure the spells left to protect tomb, find the two dead Sith, and retrieve their weapons, it seemed pretty straight forward.

She smirked.

"What is the catch?" she asked, "I doubt the tomb will be the only threat I face."

"Your insight serves you well," Tremel said, "You will not be _alone_ in the tomb. You are not the only Acolyte that interested the dark lord."

"You will be competing with this other acolyte. Only one of you can claim both the lightsabers and the place as the lord's apprentice."

"Two enter the tomb," Harkun purred, "But only one will leave a Sith."

Avaryss nodded.

So…that was how it was to be.

Just like with Adaz and her final trial on Fury 9, she was being put against another student.

Her anticipation only grew stronger.

She was eager to hold her own lightsaber, to hear the hum of its blade, to smell the burning flesh as she cleaved an opponent in two.

It did not matter **who** this other Acolyte was, she would not be denied, not after coming so far, not after everything she had sacrificed to reach this point.

She bowed deeply to her masters.

"I am ready, Overseers."

"Take me to the tomb."

Harkun nodded grimly, motioning to the two guards behind her.

"These will see you to your destination," he said, "Be ready for a fight when you arrive."

"I always am," she said.

Tremel nodded.

"I thought you lost to us girl, now you return stronger than when you arrived, tested and tempered."

He smiled slightly.

"May the Force serve you well."

"And you, Overseer."

She followed the two troopers, she said not a word, her body was practically quivering as she made her way down the hall.

Her final trial, her final opponent as an acolyte.

 _Whoever you are_ , she thought, _you **are** doomed._

I was born to be Sith.

I will not be stopped now.

IOI

After a brief stop by the supply office for some glow rods, Avaryss boarded a small air speeder, her escort and her soared over the valley below.

She was dressed once again in a plain black combat suit, her war blade at her side. The harsh orange light of the Korriban afternoon bothered her eyes, forcing her to wear darkened goggles.

It seemed that damage that Zyn had done had not been completely healed. The droids had warned her about a sensitivity to light and sound.

She sighed.

A minor weakness, but one that another might exploit, she would have to work to overcome it.

She glanced down into the valley, at various Acolytes carrying out their own challenges and trials. They seemed like so many ants, scurrying back and forth.

Soon they will be ants to me, soon I will be full Sith.

She was eager to make that final change.

The air speeder banked and began to make its descent. She saw only a hard rock wall beneath them, none of the great statues of the valley stretched out this far.

Yet, there was a Sith tomb down there somewhere, it was there that she would find her final challenge.

A strange thought occurred to her.

Harkun and Tremel had not told her if her opponent was already down in the tomb. It was possible this other acolyte may already have the lightsabers, unlikely, but possible.

She frowned.

If her opponent did have the blades already, she would simply have to take them. She supposed she could wait outside the tomb for her opponent to come out, and ambush them, but she doubted that that would work. For all she knew, their might be a second entrance to this tomb, some air shaft that was large enough for someone to crawl out of.

If she never engaged her opponent, she would lose by default, she would be left to wander the Valley a failure, likely forced to go to Spindrall and join the ranks of his disciples.

No, that would not be her fate.

She would enter, and she would conquer.

There was no other choice but that.

The speeder dropped lower, landing lightly on the valley floor.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked up at the tomb.

From the outside it did not look like much.

The entrance was cut into the rock face about twenty or thirty feet above the valley floor. The stones that marked it retained the sharp angles that they had when they had first been built several millennia ago.

She shivered as she reached out with the Force.

The other tombs she had entered, had not felt this way. Yes, she had felt the dark side there, felt the steady hum of power that the lord had wielded in life, but this…this…

This tomb felt far different.

The dark side seemed to pulse from within, almost like a heartbeat. It called to her, both as an invitation and a warning.

 _Enter if you dare,_ it seemed to whisper.

 _I don't like uninvited guests._

Avaryss shook her head and leapt from the speeder.

"When the trial is done, you will need to make your way back on your own, Acolyte," one of her escorts said.

She nodded.

"Very well."

The troopers took off without another word. She now found herself alone standing before the long forgotten tomb.

She shivered with anticipation.

This was going to be interesting.

No steps had been cut into the rock leading up to the entrance of this tomb, she could have leapt up to the entrance she supposed, but the reclamation service had been kind enough to install both scaffolding and a ramp leading up.

She made for the ramp, but paused.

Her eyes narrowed.

 _Never accept **anything** at face value._

She reached out with the Force, and was rewarded for her insight.

She chuckled.

 _Demolition charges_ , she realized, someone had rigged the entire ramp with them. Through the Force she could sense the near invisible light beams that served as trip wires.

She reached out with the Force, disabling one, and pulling it into her hands. The explosive was nothing special, but it did have a bit of a kick to it.

If even one of these detonated, the others would no doubt follow.

Even she could not survive that big of an explosion.

She shook her head.

It seemed that Tremel had given her opponent a bit of a head start. Perhaps he had even provided this other acolyte with the explosives.

She could disarm them all, use the Force to drain their power packs, but that would take time. Time she did not have.

She took a deep breath and let herself slip deep into the Force.

She began to free climb the scaffolding, avoiding the explosives as she made her way up.

For the briefest of moments, she experienced a sense of nostalgia. She found herself remembering the collection towers on Oridanna, the joy of free climbing down, losing herself to the Force, without truly grasping what it had been.

She had been a foolish child, foolish and naïve. Only now could she truly appreciate her gifts, only now could she use them to their fullest potential.

Soon she reached the top of the ramp, she needed to disable two final charges before being able to leap up and stand at the entrance to the tomb.

A cold wind came up, whistling through the entrance, the sound was that of a wailing child.

Avaryss shivered.

Again the dark side reached out to her, both beckoning and warning her stay back.

She took one step inside the entrance, feeling the power that seemed to hum from the stones beneath her feet.

She felt only cold pleasure as she began her descent.

There was no light down here, it was like slipping into a deep black pool.

She cracked one of her light rods, yet even it seemed muted by the power of the shadows here.

The entrance was quite slim the floor a smooth ramp going down at an extreme angle.

It was all she could do to keep herself upright, she let the light rod fall and roll down the shaft. It bounced down another ten or twenty feet before coming to rest.

She gripped the sides of the shaft as she made her way down.

As she emerged she found herself in a large open chamber there was nothing here but bones and scraps of cloth in the corner.

She regarded them with a knowing eye.

Slaves sealed in the tomb while still alive, she thought, servants to tend their master's needs even in death.

She shuddered.

It was not the fate that she would have wished for.

She looked around the chamber, seeing no sign of the Reclamation team that had come down here. She saw no lights, no sign of droids, not even bodies.

Not a good sign.

She drew her war blade, letting the dark side pulse through it.

It lit he chamber in a cold violet light. She…

She paused…listening…

She thought she heard.

 _"Help me. Please…someone help me."_

Her eyes narrowed.

It…it sounded like a young girl, she could hear her crying, sobbing weakly.

Avaryss smiled.

Had this place destroyed her opponent already?

How sad…for her.

She turned right following the sound, down another shaft, this one not as steep as the entrance.

She kept her senses stretched out, seeking out traps. The Reclamation researchers had said there were traps before they had died.

She was not interested in falling into one.

All around her this place radiated dark side power. That would make the search for her new lightsabers more difficult.

Who knows, perhaps her enemy had already found them, perhaps the traps of this place had already broken her, and she was just waiting for someone to save her.

Avaryss smirked.

She would help, of course, she would give the other acolyte a quick death. That would be far more merciful than anything that Harkun or Tremel would offer someone who cracked under pressure.

The sobbing became louder, it was all that Avaryss could do not to simply rush forward with her blade drawn, the weak cries were hard to resist, the predator in her wanted to leap and fill its throat with warm blood.

Patience, she thought.

This could all be a lure, part of a much large trap.

She would not fall easily into it.

The shaft opened up, she found the source of the sobbing.

She froze.

It was **not** another acolyte. The girl looked to be about thirteen, maybe fourteen. She was curled up into a fetal position rocking back and forth and sobbing, her flowered dress stained with dirt, ash and grime. Her brown hair a rat's nest filled with cobwebs and even more ash.

Avaryss voice caught in her throat.

She…she knew that dress, she _**remembered**_ it!

She swallowed hard.

"Pa…Pamir?"

The girl looked up, her tear stained face gaunt, her eyes wide and fearful.

"He…Hello?"

Avaryss stepped forward, lighting up the chamber with the glow of her war blade.

"Pamir?" she repeated.

Pamir Lylos, her little sister blinked.

"Keera?" she murmured.

Avaryss almost whimpered.

"Keera…Keera is that you? What…what happened to you?"

Avaryss did not know what to say.

There was no easy answer to the question.

It was a long story…a very long one.

Where could she even begin.


	42. Ghosts

**Chapter 42: Ghosts**

" **Keera! What is this place?! What is going on?!"**

Avaryss stared at her little sister, her heart pounding in her chest, her throat suddenly dry as a desert.

 _It is_ _ **not**_ _Pamir,_ she thought, _it is_ _ **not**_ _my little sister._

 _Pamir is dead._

 _She is_ _ **dead.**_

 _She died! I felt it!_

Still the girl did not stop crying; still she did not stop begging for her big sister to help her.

Avaryss shuddered.

 _What was she supposed to do now?_

This was not the first time a trial had tested her loyalty. It was not the first time she had been confronted by loved ones long gone.

The girl continued to sob, Avaryss reached out with the Force, trying to verify that it was indeed a young woman sitting before her. Perhaps it **was** a young woman? Perhaps it was a girl who just looked like Pamir? Maybe whatever power that had been unleashed in this tomb was only making her hear Pamir's voice.

Pamir, she thought.

My poor sister.

Poor boy crazy, sweet and girly, Pamir...

…Their mother's little angel.

Avaryss had never enjoyed all the girly stuff, she had preferred more athletic pursuits, and she had always been a daddy's girl first and foremost, which worked out well since Pamir had been born. The younger girl had taken the pressure off her big sister.

But this couldn't be Pamir, it could not!

Though part of her had hoped that Pamir and the rest of her family had survived the explosion that destroyed their home, she knew that that had been a lie, a hazy dream. She may have not completely understood what she was feeling when it happened, but she was smart enough to understand the result.

 _They were dead._

 _Her family was all dead._

 _There was no coming back from that._

So she simply stood there, watching her sister weep. The part of her that still hoped and prayed to see her family again, that had wished above all else that they had survived rejoiced. It wanted to run to the girl, to take her in her arms and hold her tight...

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

…That part of her barely existed, it was more nuisance that anything else. She was almost Sith now…

The Sith side of her wasn't looking for miracles; it was looking down on the girl and seeing weakness.

 _Seeing_ that weakness, _feeling_ those feelings, did not make her reach out with love for the girl.

No, it made her angry, **furious** even.

She sneered coldly at the weeping girl.

"What do you want, sister," she said coldly.

"What do you want from me?"

Pamir looked up at her sniffling, her eyes red from her tears.

"Keera, let's get out of here, please," the girl sniffled.

"I want to go home."

Avaryss nodded.

"Of course, you do," she nodded, "Here let me help you up."

She raised her hand, reaching out with the Force.

Pamir stopped sobbing, her cries turned to pained gurgles. She began to claw at her throat.

Her big sister grinned.

"You _**are**_ home, Pamir," she said coldly, "You are in a tomb after all, where else would you find one of the dead?"

The young Sith Acolyte sighed.

"I will not be fooled by such a trick."

She watched as the girl strangled her eyes wide with both fear and disbelief.

Avaryss sneered down at her.

"Well…you certainly choke like a living person," she said conversationally, "I wonder what will happen when your neck breaks? Will you die and fade away, change into some droid, or will it turn out you were some poor fool from the academy?"

Avaryss chuckled.

"Let's find out together, shall we? It is always good to spend some time with one's little sister."

As she increased the pressure, savoring what was to come, she heard a small metallic sounding whistle behind her, looking down she saw a small cleaning droid come rolling out of the shadows, beeping and blinking its lights at her.

She held off killing Pamir for the moment, she used her powers to hold her still, while reaching out with her other hand to claim the droid.

It pleased her that she was able to divide her power in such a way. A Sith never knew when they might find themselves set upon by multiple attackers. The fact that she could split her focus with such little resistance suggested that the greatness that Taya had dreamed for her might not just be so far-fetched.

She used the Force to lift the droid up, move it closer to her face, so she could get a better look at it.

She frowned.

It was nothing special, just some cleaning droid; you could find them in any home in the empire, but still…

The droid's vocoder crackled.

"Meestressss KEEEEEE-Ra!" the droid squealed, "Soooooo-prise!"

Avaryss realized she had heard that little voice before…

She should have known.

The back of the droid opened up, normally it would be the hatch that it pleased large items it had cleaned off the floor, but now…

Her eyes widened!

"Boom!" the droid hissed.

Avaryss gasped, wrapping herself quickly in the Force, shielding herself.

The frag-mine in the droids belly detonated, throwing her back.

She struck the wall so hard that stars exploded before her eyes.

She found herself on the floor of the tomb, her ears ringing.

She shook her head, trying to clear it.

Something heavy struck her from behind. She managed to flip over, get up her hands to defend herself.

Pamir was on top of her, screaming, wielding a large rock.

Her combat suit and the Force shielded her from the worst of it, but she still felt something warm flowing down her face, she tasted the saltiness of her own blood.

Avaryss snarled and struck back with the Force.

Pamir flew back.

Avaryss staggered to her feet drawing her war blade. As she searched for her traitorous little sister, she became aware that she was no longer alone with her.

Distantly, over the ringing in her ears, she heard the sound of marching feet, metal feet.

She looked up, and sneered.

Four ancient Sith defense droids were marching down the shaft she had entered through.

Avaryss readied herself for a fight.

She had encountered such machines before; even the tombs that had been explored still had a few active ones. They were trouble, but their weapons were out of date, the blades they wielded no match for a Force user. They…

Blaster fire rang out, it was all she could do to get her sword up and defend herself.

She lunged at the droids, seeking to end this fight quickly.

 _Where had they gotten blasters? These droids weren't designed with blasters?_

She finally spotted Pamir hiding behind the droids, and at her side, the source of all her troubles.

It was her little sister Talitha, their parents' little engineer, always fixing things.

The younger Lylos giggled.

"I fixed them Keera," she called out, "Isn't wonderful!"

Avaryss snarled.

Wonderful was not the word she would use.

She sliced the arms off two of the droids, while striking the two behind with Force lightning. She lunged beneath one of the droid's blades and sliced off its head with a single strike.

The dark side was singing through her now.

These rust buckets were no match for her now!

She saw Pamir grab Talitha's arm, drag her deeper down into the tomb.

Avaryss howled with frustration.

" **GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE PESTS!"**

She fired a bolt of lightning at them, but it struck only hard stone.

"Run Talli," she heard Pamir call out, "She is trying to hurt us."

Avaryss snarled under her breath.

 _Oh she would do far worse than hurt them when she caught up with them. She…she…_

 _What are you doing?_

The voice in her head stopped her cold. She blinked as it pierced through the red haze of anger that the attack had left he in.

 _They're your sisters; you still love them don't you?_

"They're not my sisters," she growled under her breath. "They are an insult, they are a mockery.

She smiled hungrily.

"I'm going to enjoy gutting them.

In that moment, all thought of lightsabers and trials faded from her mind, the dark side had fully taken over.

My sisters have attacked me, they have _**betrayed**_ me.

She followed down the shaft the girls had fled.

Get ready girls, she thought.

Big sister is coming.

IOI

What followed felt more like a nightmare than an actual fight. The tomb seemed to go on forever, every time she thought she had found the end, another door or corridor opened up before her.

The dark side was singing in her head, making any attempt to use it to navigate this place impossible.

Every room offered another challenge, defense droids, trap doors, and falling blades all bedeviled her hunt. One room opened up into a nest of K'lor slugs, the giant worms with their huge mouths filled with teeth, tried to deny her only to fall before her lightning and her war blade.

The worst, however were the defensive spells that had been woven into the stone door ways of the tombs, they fed off her dark side powers, bringing forth shades of both friends and enemies.

These attacked her just as savagely as the droids and beasts.

She shook her head as she sliced through another shadow, it crumbled away like a like a piece of wood in a raging fire, yet still the shadows rose to oppose her.

Avaryss shuddered.

No wonder the reclamation team had gone mad down here.

It felt like her sanity was close to breaking.

She struggled to hang onto what was important, what truly mattered.

Passing this trial, becoming full Sith, and the only way to do that was end her sweet little sisters.

It might have seemed an unrelated goal, but she knew it to be anything but…

Unlike the shades she had faced, Pamir and Talitha seemed to be flesh and blood. Everything she knew about the dark side seemed to whisper that they were the key to all of this.

End them, and everything else would fall into place.

So she continued the hunt. She continued to face both droids and shadows.

She brought up her sword as more shadows detached themselves from the wall. These took on the form of people she had come to see as enemies. Overseers Phylon and Alaria, Squad Leader Bryden and the Nautolan Padawan she had killed back in Butcher's Clearing.

She grinned seeing their faces.

Destroying enemies were easy; it was when the shadows had taken the form of allies that she had had trouble.

She had already wiped away shades that had taken the forms of Master Adaz and Taya. The Fehl one had been far harder, for the briefest of moments she has thought her lover had finally reached out to her from beyond the realm of the dead. When he tried to choke her with the Force she knew that that was all a lie.

Her heart pounded as she engaged those she had cared for. What was left of her conscience continued to scream, tried to hold her back. Yet, she struck, and did so without hesitation.

This foul place was testing her, testing her commitment to the dark side.

It was a test that she would not fail.

She could not fail!

She turned another corner, following the echo of voices. No shadows rose to attack her here, yet as she looked around her she started to wonder how long exactly had she been down here?

The defensive spells put on this place long ago had her running around in circles, she did not doubt that. This tomb was old, very old. It could not be as large or as ornate as the tombs that had housed the Dark Lords of old had been.

She had found herself staring at one of the statues that dotted the various chambers. Time had seemed to have had no effect on these statues, their lines and features were as smooth and defined as they had been the day they had first been carved.

Was this the lord that had been laid to rest here? If it was, this lord had clearly been a female. From looking at the face she appeared young, early twenties maybe, and human.

She smiled at the statue.

Who were you? She wondered. Did you come here with the Dark Jedi that first took the name Dark Lords of the Sith? The spells she had encountered suggested that whoever this lord had been, she had been very skilled in the sorcerous arts…

…Avaryss' curiosity only grew.

Who knew what secrets she had known? How many of them had been lost over the millennia?

It was sad to think about.

The sound of voices drew her forward again, forward and to the left. They seemed to be getting louder.

She grinned hungrily.

Perhaps this hunt was finally about to bear fruit.

Good.

She was getting tired of chasing ghosts.

She had found the bodies of several of the reclamation team. Most of them appeared to have committed suicide, unable to escape, unable to resist the dark visions; they had chosen to end their own lives.

A weaklings way out, but entirely understandable.

Still…she had found no trace of her rival. No sign of the Sith who had died down here, or their lightsabers.

She found herself hoping that whoever her opponent was, she was suffering the same nightmares that Avaryss was.

Maybe she would get lucky and her opponent would choose suicide over battle, which would make things easy. She might even.

She heard the sound of voices growing louder. She leapt forward, her blade drawn and at the ready, eager for the kill.

The sight before her stopped her cold.

She had found Pamir and Talitha…and they were not alone.

Her crimson eyes widened, her breath became ragged.

"Mom?" she murmured.

"Mommy?"

Mya Lylos stood before her, pushing both Talitha and Pamir behind her, Talitha cowered holding another little cleaning droid, Pamir struggled to hold onto little Anj. The toddler was sobbing pathetically reaching for her mother.

"Stay away from us," Mya Lylos snarled, holding an old rusted sword before her, "Girls, stay behind me."

Avaryss was frozen, shocked. She blinked and shook her head; she had expected to find her sisters down here, but…Mom…?

No she had not expected this.

"Mom," she whispered, "You…you don't have to be afraid. It is me. I'm here."

She started to reach out, tried to touch her mother's hand.

Mya Lylos swung her sword; Avaryss drew her hand back quickly, only barely escaping being cut.

"Stay away from my daughters!" she spat, "Do you hear me! Stay away!"

"Why does it look like Keera, Mom?" Pamir whined.

"It is a trick," Talitha cried, "It is trick!"

Avaryss winced like a whipped cur.

"It…it is not trick," she wanted to say, Mom it is me, it is Keera. It is your daughter…I'm…"

"How dare you!"

The voice that spoke was cold as ice, cold and vengeful.

"How dare you try to strike one who will one day be a Lord of the Sith!"

For a moment. Avaryss did not know who was speaking, and then she realized.

It was dark voice that spoke within her, guided her during her moments of weakness, but the voice was not inside her head now, it was out, for all to hear.

She shuddered.

It was her voice.

It had always been her voice!

That realization washed away any confusion, any fear of what she was facing.

The dark side rose up within her, pushing any trace of Keera Lylos back down, pushing her down beneath an ocean of the darkest shadows.

Avaryss chuckled.

What had she been doing?

How had she let herself go so soft?

It is Mom, she realized, she brought Keera back, briefly perhaps, but it was enough to bring her back.

The Sith Acolyte sneered.

She would not make that mistake again.

She glared at Mya Lylos, her eyes blazing with both anger and hate, anger at the woman for the weakness she had brought out in her, and hateful of the weakness the woman showed in the face of one who would be her lord.

"You are all aware of the penalty, for seeking to harm a dark lord?"

Anj sobbed in Pamir's arms, Talitha hung onto her mother's waist.

Mya Lylos looked like she was ready to cry herself.

"Spare my children, my lord," she begged, "They…they are all I have left in this world."

Avaryss sneered.

They were not all that the woman had left; she still had a son after all, and an older daughter.

Beric was not here, but Avaryss was. She would be able to take their family to a glory undreamed of, but first…first…

She needed to cut away the last of this infection, this weakness that threatened to rot her from within.

Hot tears ran down the young acolytes face, she was both sobbing and giggling at the same time.

She knew what she had to do.

She planted her sword in the ground, and raised her hands over her head.

"Good bye," she murmured, still giggling and sobbing, "I love you all."

She reached out with the Force, and brought her hands down in a fast sweeping motion.

The ceiling above her family collapsed.

"MOMMY!" Talitha screamed.

Anj wailed.

Their mother reached out, tried to protect her girls. Pamir actually tried to help, tried to cover the baby, shield her.

The roof of the tomb came down hard on them all, burying them beneath a mountain of rock and stone.

Avaryss stood there, staring blankly.

She fell to her knees. She…she had never felt anything so intense before!

Guilt washed over, a wave of remorse like nothing she had ever felt before, even when Fehl had died.

She did not fight it, she let it wash over her, let it nourish her.

She had just killed her family, again, or the shade of them anyway.

A Sith had already murdered them once, and now, another Sith had done the same.

The circle was now complete.

Her conscience, that tether of light tried to rise up against her, again.

She shuddered.

How could she expect to live with herself after something like that?

She looked up at her war blade; the thought of her cutting her own throat came to her, but was dismissed as quickly as it had come.

They were already dead, she thought, you simply restored them to their proper place.

The thought helped, somewhat.

She took a deep breath of stale air, and glared at the tomb around her.

It was **this** place that had put her family in her way. Had it not, she would not have had to do what she had to do.

She was still crying as she regained her feet, but her tears were now more angry than remorseful.

It is this place, she thought, this horrible place!

She would be glad when she left it.

Surprisingly enough, destroying her mother and sisters had had a positive effect on this place. No longer did it feel like she was drowning in an ocean of dark side energy. The power she felt here had shifted, now it seemed to be centered on a single chamber.

She took a deep cleansing breath.

 _Through victory, my chains are broken._

It seemed the Sith code was right once again.

Her love for her family had been a chain, a chain that now was broken at her feet.

She was free.

She wiped at her tear stained cheeks, she looked at the rubble before her; she reached out, trying to sense any life beneath it.

She felt nothing, but of course, nothing had been there to begin with it.

It had all been a trick, and illusion.

"Fear not," she said more to herself than anyone else, "Vengeance will be mine. He will answer for taking you away from me."

She turned and made her way back the way she had come, pulling her war blade from the ground.

She readied herself for what was to come next.

Mother and the girls were gone, but that did not mean that her testing was over.

She sighed.

One test still remained. One ghost she would have to face.

She sighed.

Best get to it, she thought.

She still had a lightsaber to find, and a rival to kill, provided they were not dead yet, already.

The dark side asks much, she thought grimly.

"It is time to pay the next part of that debt.


	43. Crazy

**Chapter 43: Crazy**

"My name is Avaryss, Avaryss of the Sith, and I am not going mad."

The phrase had become a litany as she made her way through the tomb, now following the source of dark side energy that was calling to her like a beacon.

"My name is Avaryss, Avaryss of the Sith, and I am not going mad."

She kept an eye out for traps, both through her own senses, and the Force. Since ending the mockery that had taken the form of her mother and sisters, no new challenge rose to confront her. No new droids powered up, no traps triggered, trying to claim her life. No shyrack or K'lor slugs tried to eat her.

It almost seemed like the tomb was holding its breath, or rather the presence that still resided here. Now that she was not rushing from one fight to the next, she got the feeling that something was watching her, that this place was not as empty as one might have thought.

She did not think that it was her rival, if another acolyte had gone through half the things she had faced, she doubted that they would be content to simply watch what was going on.

No, she sensed…curiosity, curiosity and amusement?

If it was the dark lord that had been buried here, perhaps she was enjoying the show; perhaps she had enjoyed making those that had trespassed on her grave go mad with fear and guilt.

That will not happen with me, she promised herself.

"My name is Avaryss, Avaryss of the Sith, and I am not going mad."

She tried to focus on putting one foot in front of the other, finding the two lightsabers, and getting out of here. She tried not to think of the look on her mother's face when the ceiling came down, tried not to think of little Anj's wail, or Talitha crying to her mother as they were buried alive. She…

Avaryss shuddered and took a deep breath.

 _You **can't** do this_, she thought, _thinking about that will just make you crazy._

Focus on the hunt, you are almost there.

She continued on, ever watchful for traps, or more defense droids.

"My name is Avaryss, Avaryss of the Sith, and I am not going mad."

The phrase helped, reminding her not only of who she was, but also her presence here.

It also gave her an idea. She could sense someone's interest in what was happening. If it was a spirit of the ancient Sith, perhaps she could converse with it. Perhaps she could make it understand that she was not to be threatened.

"I honor you, my lord," she said to the shadows, "You have proven your strength and superiority. I've seen those you have destroyed, and only seek now to bask in your power, that and recover two small trinkets from those that you have destroyed."

If the spirit understood, if it could even hear her, she could not say. No shape appeared before her, no voice whispered in her ear or mind.

She shook her head.

"Maybe I'm just talking to myself," she murmured.

"Maybe I have gone mad."

If that was the case, then she had nothing more to do except push forward. Perhaps there were no Force ghosts on Korriban, perhaps it was all just a story to frighten unruly Acolytes and keep them in line.

Perhaps it is nothing but simple tricks of the ancients, tricks created to defend these tombs.

If that was the case, then she was truly sad.

It was yet another thing that the Jedi had taken from them, and meant that yet more secrets had been lost to time.

She tried not to let melancholy overwhelm her, Even if she was only talking to herself; the threats that remained in this tomb were still real.

She still needed to remain on her guard.

This place could still kill her.

"My name is Avaryss, Avaryss of the Sith, and I am not going mad."

" _Oh you are_ _ **not**_ _going mad, you're already_ _ **there."**_

She froze. She listened.

"Hello?"

" _Did you like it when your mommy screamed? Did you enjoy seeing those little pests get crushed?"_

"Not listening," Avaryss said with an annoyed snort.

"I'm not listening."

" _Sure you are. You killed your mother. You killed those little girls. You're a very cruel monster. No one would love you."_

'Shut up," Avaryss spat, "You don't want me in your tomb, fine, but don't think I'm going to fall apart and start sobbing again."

No response.

Avaryss smirked.

"I don't want to be your enemy, old one. All I want is those two lightsabers."

The voice stopped, at least for now.

Avaryss continued on.

She could not tell if it was the dark lord buried here, or if she was just talking to herself. It really did not matter.

She still had to find those two Sith corpses, and retrieve their lightsabers for Tremel, and for her new master.

She giggled.

Her new master, she wondered who it was, someone with power, most certainly, perhaps even a member of the dark council. The thought of serving a dark council member excited her. She still remembered how hesitant that fool Zyn had been of risking opposing a senior lord.

If she had the ear of a member of the council, she would be able to do almost anything.

" _And once you have the ear,"_ the voice in her head spoke up again, " _What will you do with the rest of the body?"_

Avaryss cackled. She laughed until tears of mirth ran down her cheeks.

 _Whatever I want, once I've learned everything that the master has to teach me._

That thought warmed her, imagining the day that she stopped being a student and truly became a master in her own right.

 _Maybe I have gone mad_ , she thought, _maybe… but who knew, maybe her master would find that appealing._

She remembered reading a treatise in the library the other day, a paper written by some Sith several hundred years ago. He had said: "What was a little mental instability between student and master."

Not much when you truly thought of it.

Avaryss giggled.

"My name is Avaryss, Avaryss of the Sith, and I _**have**_ gone **mad.** I killed my mom and my little sisters, and when the time is right I will kill my Sith Master."

"What is wrong with that?"

" _Not a thing,"_ the voice in her head giggled.

" _Not a_ _ **single**_ _thing."_

They were both giggling now, her and the voice.

It was nice to have some company down here.

It was nice not to be alone.

IOI

The dark side continued to draw her in, bring her closer to her goal.

The statues and decorations down here were growing more elaborate, more beautiful, chased with gold and jewels.

This was the place that all the grave robbers of old had sought, where they could make their fortune stealing from a long dead Sith. The only reward they ever found though was death; the bones littering the floor here were proof enough.

She found several more bodies of men and women from the reclamation service. She noticed that their blasters were gone, and all the extra power packs too.

She grinned.

At least now she knew where the security droids had got the blasters from.

These deaths were fitting in a strange way, she thought, what was the reclamation service but professional grave robbers. They had not proven their worth to the Sith spirit, they did not have her permission to take things from her grave.

Perhaps they deserved to die.

" _Finally,"_ the voice in her head, said, _"Someone that understands."_

She nodded.

She did understand, all these things in the tomb had belonged to a Lord of the Sith, they remained hers, even in death.

Stealing from a lord was punishable by death after all. As she moved deeper into the tomb, closer to the lord's final resting place. She felt a cold shiver down her spine.

" _One final test, young one,"_ the voice said.

" _One final challenge."_

Avaryss grinned hungrily.

"Bring it on," she thought, "I'm ready!"

" _We'll see."_

" _Amuse me."_

Avaryss found herself standing on a long walk way, a dry mote ran beneath, a mote lined with hard metal spikes.

A lone figure blocked her path, he was dressed in the uniform of an Imperial Overseer; it was dirty of course, smudged with ash and cobwebs.

Avaryss laughed lightly.

She knew that this was coming.

She had done her best to prepare.

"Hello Daddy," she said with a wide hungry smirk.

"Decided to pay me another visit, it has been a while since we talked on Fury 9?"

Andur Lylos said nothing; he simply drew his blaster and pointed it at her."

Avaryss rolled her eyes.

She paused and tilted her head.

"Is it something I said?" she asked.

Her father looked at her with eyes on the verge of tears; his normally steady hand shook with emotion.

"Blossom," he murmured, "What have you done?"

She shrugged.

"You will have to clarify a bit for me," she said dryly, "I've done a lot of things lately."

"Don't make light of this," her father snarled, "Don't you dare."

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Is this about Mom? I suppose that I could have been a little gentler with her end, the girls too, but in my defense, I was a little on edge, I was being attacked and…"

Andur Lylos did not let her finish, he quickly walked up to her; Avaryss did not respond because he had lowered his blaster, she did not think he was going to attack, not like…

 _ **SLAP!**_

Her head snapped back, she looked up with both shock and disbelief!

He had struck her.

He had **never** struck her a day in her life.

She was speechless.

He grabbed her by the shoulders; he shook her like he was trying to wake her from some bad dream.

" _ **THEY WERE YOUR FAMILY**_!" he shouted, _**"HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO THEM?!"**_

She rubbed her cheek, she could feel heat, it would likely bruise, that was how hard he had struck her.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

No more games, she thought.

"How could **you** do that to them, Daddy?" she demanded.

He stepped back unsure of what she met.

Avaryss glared at him, her anger rising like a fire.

This had been a long time coming, she had had a long time to think about what she was about to say next. The months she had spent as a pariah here on Korriban had opened her eyes to a lot of hard truths.

Now she wanted answers.

She needed them.

"You **knew** ," she said coldly, "You knew what would happen when Lord Feer's enforcer arrived. You knew the moment you saw that hologram in the town square. What were you _planning?_ What did you _thi_ nk was going to happen?"

She shook her head, the anger raced through her blood like venom, like molten rock inside a volcano. It now gushed from her mouth.

Her hands curled into fists.

"You could have **warned** us, told us to run. We could have fled, found a ship at one of the outposts, gotten off world, but you did nothing. You simply sat in your garage and you waited."

She snarled angrily.

"Do you have any idea the things I've had to do since coming here? Do you have any clue what I've had to sacrifice to reach this point?"

"You could have stopped this," her father spat back; "You could have run when I told you to back on Fury, but you chose to stay. You _**wanted**_ to stay!"

He shook his head, both with anger and disappointment.

"You are nothing but a murderer now, you're sick!"

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"Don't you **dare** judge me. You have no _**righ**_ t to judge **me!"**

"All the lives you have taken to reach this point. Were they worth it?"

"They have to be," she murmured.

"You **betrayed** everything I ever taught you."

"I intend to start a revolution! I will free our home of Darth Feer, and will rise in his place."

"And continue on the same path that he now walks," her father said shaking his head, "you have become the very thing that you wanted to destroy."

Her father sighed.

"You are no better than the man that destroyed our home."

Avaryss eyes began to glow crimson, the world itself seemed to be soaked in blood.

"I'm more powerful than that fool was," she said grinning, "I'm so much more than any mere enforcer, and I did it all for you, for Mom and the girls, to **avenge** you."

"Stop pretending that this is about us. If you cared so much about them you would not have buried them here!"

"They weren't real. They were just a game, stumbling block put in my way. Don't you see; I will grow more powerful than any Sith, even a Darth like Lord Feer. I will destroy him, overthrow him and make a paradise of our home; our people will kneel to me in humble gratitude."

"And if they don't?"

The thought of resistance made her sneer. Who would be able to oppose her once she was fully a lord?"

In fact, why was she wasting her time on this conversation?

"You are not **real** either," she said coldly, "You are just something in my head, trying to hold me back. You are as jealous of me as my real father was. He would have left me with nothing, just the bauble on some rich fool's arm. I'm **better** than that. I was always better than that!"

Her hands shook, as she drew her war blade. Her father stepped back raising his blaster.

He might as well have been unarmed.

"Blossom! Keera stop yourself! You are…"

She had heard enough.

She reached out with the Force and yanked his blaster out of his hand. She threw it away, it hit so hard it exploded on the wall behind them.

Before he could try anything else she lifted him up with the Force, flinging hard against the walls of the tomb.

He hit again, and again, and again.

"I'm not your _Blossom!"_ she snarled, "I am **power!** I am **death!"**

She flung him back and forth, faster and faster, she heard the sound of bones cracking, pained cries escaping his lips, and still she did not stop.

She was too angry to stop.

"I…am…Avaryss…Avaryss of the Sith, and I _**hate**_ you Daddy! You will not stop me from reaching my destiny, not now, not ever…

"…Not ever!"

He did not answer; he was quite beyond answering any questions now.

She finally flung the body down into the dry mote, removing it from her path.

Yet somewhere, in the back of her mind, she heard his voice, it was a question he had asked her in many a nightmare.

 _Blossom…why?_

She sneered down at the broken body.

Because I'm Sith," she declared, "And a Sith does not cater to the desires of the weak."

She strode past him, a frigid and determined look on her face.

"You should have let me go, Daddy," she said coldly. "When I turned my back on you on Fury, you should have let me go."

She sighed heavily.

"You should have let me go."

IOI

She had finally reached the main chamber, the guardian statues rose up around her, both tukata and ancient warriors armed with spears and swords. The sarcophagus of the ancient lord sat in state on a high dais.

Avaryss looked around, reaching out with the Force trying to sense whatever surprise this foul place had in store for her next, an alchemical monster perhaps, maybe her old pre-schooling instructor.

She sensed none.

She approached the sarcophagus, being mindful of any trick floor plates meant to stop any grave robber who had been lucky enough to get this far. Around the lord's final resting place lay the last of the reclamation team, their bodies anyway.

She shook her head at the savaged state of the remains, most looked like they had been burned, or had been so horrified they had broken their own bones screaming at some private horror.

She grinned hungrily at the sight.

Where can I learn to do that? She thought, Would you teach me, old one?

She waited…and waited.

No answer.

Of course, she thought rolling her eyes.

Typical.

She did not try to open the sarcophagus, that was not her mission, fortunately, what she had been seeking was here.

She laughed.

There, lying beside the massive coffin was the body of a man in armor and the black robes of the Sith. From the look of things he had died clawing at some stone at the sarcophagus' base.

Avaryss kneeled down, intrigued.

 _Did you find **something?**_ She wondered.

 _You were dying, being torn apart from the inside out, and yet you stopped to try to pull out a stone._

Why?

She ran her fingers along it; it did not seem any different than the others, still…

She pulled her hand back and reached out with the Force.

The stone began to glow, a single Sith glyph appeared to the side of where it had been placed.

She reached out and touched the glyph.

She heard a loud grinding sound emerge from the lord's coffin. She stepped back, fearing that she had just set off another trap.

The stone that had been glowing slid back, revealing a small cubby hole built into the base of the sarcophagus.

Hm? She thought.

 _What is this now?_

She reached in without fear; she sensed no danger from within. She found two long metal tubes; she drew them from their hidden place, and examined them. She was likely the first to have done so since they had been left here millennia ago.

Containers of some sort, she recognized, she could not tell how to open them, yet, but it looked like they might contain some kind of parchment, writings by the lord who was buried here perhaps."

She grinned triumphantly.

And who said no one ever found buried treasure?

She clipped the two containers to her belt, she would be able to examine them later, back when she returned to the academy, for now…

She still had one final prize to claim.

She turned over the death Sith's body, on his belt she found what she had been searching for, a beautifully formed hilt with silver and obsidian fittings, a simple leather strap had been wrapped around where the wielder's hand would be during combat.

Avaryss felt a surge of childlike glee.

She had found the lightsaber, **her** _new_ lightsaber!

She yanked it from the dead man's belt; he would not need it anymore.

He had been slim for a male, so she had no trouble wielding the weapon, in fact, it fit in her hand like she had been born with it there.

She stepped down from the dais, holding her new weapon. She raised it above her head, hitting the activator button as she did.

 **HISSSSSSSS!**

The crimson blade sprang to life with the sound of a venomous serpent; its hum filled her ears like a nest of shadow wasps.

She lowered the weapon and did a few practice twirls, getting use to heft of it, she performed a few quick drills, making sure that it still functioned.

Her new saber performed perfectly.

She looked down into the blood shine of its blade, imagining all the lives she would end with this weapon, imagining the world she would bring to heel under its crimson light.

The sound of a second lightsaber igniting interrupted her. She spun around, dropping into a fighting stance.

Her rival was here at last.

She grinned.

How nice…, she thought.

…Saves me the trouble of hunting you down.

She turned ready to meet this last challenge.

She frowned.

"Not this again," she said, "I'm tire of facing illusions!"

Her rival sneered.

"So am I," she agreed, "You…you can't imagine the things I had to face to get here."

Avaryss snorted.

"You would be surprised Nass," she said, "Very surprised."

The Inquisitor's daughter sighed; she raised her own weapon, its crimson blade bathing her pale skin in ruby light. She no longer was the cute girl that Avaryss had met back in the Academy on Butcher's Clearing, her eyes had gone permanently yellow, the flesh around them bubbled up from some damage, likely done while facing the dangers here.

She glared at her ally, her _former_ ally.

"Give me that lightsaber, Farm Girl," she spat, "I'm not leaving here without it."

"I suppose that I could say the same," Avaryss laughed.

The two acolytes faced each other, any sense of friendship or comradery between them was gone.

They both understood the stakes.

They would have to be crazy not to.

 _Only_ _ **one**_ _would leave here with both weapons._

 _Only_ _ **one**_ _of them would leave this place alive._

 _One last murder_ , Avaryss thought giggling, _one last ghost to add to this place._

She and Nass began to circle.

 **Just. One. More.**


	44. Blood Shine

**Chapter 44: Blood Shine**

 _Imagine a singular moment, a moment in time where you can finally have the life you have wanted for so long. That in one single motion your life can change forever and you can be on the path to all of your goals, and all it takes is a single act, one simple swing of a blade…._

… _but there is a catch._

 _A single person stands in the way of that one shining moment, someone that you have fought beside, ate beside, bled beside, shared their council and did your best to help them in their endeavors. Someone that you have come to respect, admire, maybe even fear a little, someone that had been, if not been a friend, was at the very least, a very close ally._

 _Now…that person stood in your way._

 _What would you do?_

 _What would_ _ **you**_ _do?_

For Avaryss that moment was now here, she stood before her old ally Nass in a long forgotten tomb in the farthest corner of the Valley of the Dark Lords. They both held a lightsaber in their hands, the light of their crimson blades bathing their pale skin, turning it pink. The tomb had fallen all but silent, only the soft sound of the girl's breathing, and the gentle hum of their swords, each turn of their blades making the shadows shift and move, like an audience finding their places before the start of some grand play, or the main attraction at a sporting event.

It is coming closer, Avaryss thought, the main event!

She wondered which of them would survive.

She held her blade at the ready, not quite settled into a fighting stance, but close enough for her to find it if needed. Nass stood before her, her new Sith eyes cold and evaluating, looking for any weakness in her old ally.

Avaryss sighed.

She _should_ have expected this; of course Tremel would choose one of her old allies for her final test. In a way, she was surprised that it wasn't Taya standing across from her, surely the soft spoken overseer knew of their continued alliance. Why had he not put Taya here?

Would Taya have offered her neck to me, she wondered, would she have chosen her family's future over her own life? It was possible she supposed. Taya's light side leanings may have prompted her to make that sacrifice.

Personally, Avaryss was glad it was not Taya; the girl had a cunning mind, and a willing heart. It was not easy to find such a servant. Tremel may have known that, perhaps that was why he had not chosen Taya for this, or maybe he simply thought her blonde haired friend was not ready?

Whatever the reason that he did not pick her, she was glad that he didn't, but still…Nass?

It was…a little surprising.

Avaryss grinned at the Inquisitor's daughter, they both knew how this was going to end, but that did not mean that they could not converse a bit before the main event truly kicked off.

"I see you have found the other lightsaber?" she said conversationally.

Nass shrugged.

"That I did," she said with a nod, "It is **mine**."

"And this one is _mine_ ," Avaryss said holding up her own blade, the red beam illuminating her pale features, turning them the color of fresh blood.

Nass glared at her.

"Actually," she said coolly, "That weapon is _mine_. I need it to impress my new master."

"What a coincidence," Avaryss laughed, "I could say the same thing about yours."

Nass rolled her eyes.

"Just give me that lightsaber Farm Girl," she said with an irritable voice.

"WE both know that that is how this is going to end."

"Really," Avaryss said smiling, "And how do we know that?"

"Because I know **you,** " Nass said, "I know what kind of a person you are, what kind of friend you are."

The Inquisitor's daughter smiled.

"You were willing to sacrifice yourself for Taya and me once. You could have let us suffer during that whole business with you and Fehl, but you didn't."

Avaryss winced.

The mention of her dead lover did little to endure her old friend to her.

"You should just give me the lightsaber Avaryss," she said holding out her hand. "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours, you make me an apprentice, and I'll make sure you don't rot on this world, stuck forever in this valley. I have connections, and once I become a dark lord's apprentice I'll have even more."

Nass gestured her closer, though she kept her blade turned and ready. It seemed she still hoped to end this peacefully.

Avaryss had to admit, it was a generous offer.

She was tempted to take it.

"I won't leave you to rot here. I'll get you out, and you will have a powerful ally when you start your new life on Dromund Kaas."

"I see," Avaryss said dryly, "And I'll be… _what_ exactly?"

"In a position to wield great power," the other girl said, "You will not be beholden to any master. You will be free to follow your own star, to pursue your own agendas, and as I rise, I'll make sure that you are not far behind."

"Think about it, Farm Girl, you will be free to carry out your **own** missions, hunt your enemies as you see fit, and I'll be able to assist you, just like I did during our time on _Butcher's Clearing_ , and when Taya passes _her_ trials, she will join us, the trio will be together again, and we will make Dromund Kaas our new playground."

"I see," Avaryss said coolly, "And the two of you will both be apprenticed to great lords, while I'll be… _what?_ Your humble _servant_ , I suppose?"

"We will help each other," Nass promised, "Like I said, it will be just like the old days."

Avaryss chuckled.

It was an interesting offer…

She sneered at her old ally.

..But it was one that she was not interested in.

"You know, there was a time that I would have said _yes_ to all that. I would have jumped at the chance to have a highly placed ally, close to a dark lord of great power. When I first arrived on Butcher's Clearing, I was in awe of you and Taya; you were second level Acolytes from Korriban! All I wanted was to rise to the same level as you; I had been prepared to do anything to achieve that goal.

She chuckled and shook her head, still watchful, just in case Nass tried to launch some surprise attack.

Avaryss sighed.

Sadly, I **must** decline. I have worked too hard and endured too much to simply walk away now."

She shook her head.

"Even if I trusted your word, it would not work out. If I accepted your offer, I would beholden to you for the rest of my life. I would never have a chance to excel, to become a lord myself. So…no…I'm not going to give you this lightsaber. You are simply going to have to take it, if you can?"

Nass' eyes narrowed, Avaryss could feel her anger, her desire to leap at her old ally.

She decided to stall, keep talking.

 _She still had a lot to say, if this was the last chance, if one of them was not going to be walking out of here, why not take it?_

"You are also right about that business with me and Fehl. In fact, looking back, I think you were **right**. I was thinking with my heart, not my head, my heart and…well…another part of my body."

She giggled.

"I still held you and Taya in high esteem; I thought that I could handle the fallout of Tremel's anger. I thought I could endure whatever he put me through. Thinking like that, it almost cost me my life, and it cost Fehl **his** life.

She winced at the memory of her lover lying dead in a pool of his own blood, dead in the bed where they had found such satisfaction a few hours earlier.

It had been as unfair as it had been ironic.

"He deserved better than an end like that."

Nass shrugged.

"Synox is not the prettiest way to die, is it?"

"No," Avaryss agreed, "It really isn't. In fact it…"

She paused.

An alarm bell suddenly going off in her head!

Synox! Nass knew the poison used to kill Fehl was **synox!**

Her heart began to pound.

 _Careful,_ her inner voice warned; _don't go berserk, not yet._

Keep her talking, let your emotions build.

Let what the witch did fuel your rage!

Avaryss giggled again. She gave her friend a knowing look.

"Still it _**was**_ a brilliant strategy wasn't it? It was a strategy worthy of a true dark side genius. Whoever killed Fehl was quite cunning. Either way they would have gotten what they wanted, if I had died, Fehl would have been accused of my murder. The lords that supported him might have protected him, emphasis on the word _might_ , but he would have lost that air of untouchability, the lords might have thought him gone soft that he would choose to kill a rival in such a base and clumsy way. Who knew they might have even sent formal assassins for him, had he not died during interrogation."

"They might have," Nass agreed.

Avaryss reached out with the Force, even as her anger continued to build. She had heard no confession, but the more she thought about it the more likely theory seemed to be true. No, she had to dig deeper, she had to be sure. Nass was doing very well at masking her feelings; Avaryss was getting nothing from her.

And still her heart continued to pound, the darkness within it building, hungering for her to leap into action.

Not yet, she thought.

Not yet.

"And it was such a high dose of poison too," she went on, "It had to be, to be absorbed through the skin."

"Whoever did it was very smart," Nass agreed.

Avaryss checked off another mark on her list. The official story was that Fehl had drunk poisoned wine. Such a method did not involve the poison being absorbed through the skin.

Only the killer would know what had happened.

She continued to smile at her friend, _**former**_ friend.

No proof, not yet, but she definitely had a strong suspicion.

Nass was quite clever, and if she was the killer, she was right.

She had been very smart, until now.

"Indeed," Avaryss said, "And it _almost_ worked to, had I died during my interrogation it would have all been perfect, Fehl's supporters would have had their scapegoat, and whoever was responsible would have rid themselves of both me and Fehl."

She shook her head.

"It was a _masterstroke!"_

For the first time, she did feel something from Nass. A soft glow…

…she felt a sense of pride.

It was all she could do to keep from leaping on the girl and tearing her throat out with her bare hands.

It was all she could do to keep from turning into a howling maniac, to leap at Nass and flay her alive with her new lightsaber.

Fehl's face danced before her eyes, in that moment, what had happened to him mattered more than the lightsaber in her hand, more than being Sith.

No Sith should suffer such an enemy to live.

Nass had not confessed yet, even though she had said enough to convince Avaryss of her guilt.

She decided to push the inquisitor's daughter further, see what kind of reaction she could get.

She could afford to be a little patient; once they got started there would be no turning back.

Might as well see what else she could learn.

"The war blade was a nice touch," Avaryss added, "A simple way to deliver the poison, what Sith would leave their weapon behind on Korriban, not a smart one that was for sure."

Some of the pride faded from the Force, Nass started looking at Avaryss with suspicion.

Her old ally grinned.

 _Uh oh, she is starting to realize that I know!_

Avaryss laughed.

That is good, a person should know why they are about to die.

"This is all well and good, Avaryss," Nass said irritably, "But I'm tired and want to get out of here, just give me the lightsaber, and I'm gone."

"No," Avaryss said sweetly.

Nass' eyes narrowed.

She raised her hand.

"You will give me the lightsaber," she said in her most commanding voice.

Her old ally chuckled.

"Now you're just _embarrassin_ g yourself," she said rolling her eyes, "That…and you are **insulting** me. What? Did you think you could use the Force to push me into giving you what you wanted? I thought you knew me better than that?"

Nass sneered at her.

"I know you quite well, Farm Girl. I know your kind, The Force may have blessed you with great power, but you lack the will and the strength to truly use it."

Nass shook her head.

"You should step aside and let those of us that know what we are doing have our chance. You will waste everything a Sith Master will give you.

Avaryss glared at her old ally.

 _Of all the pompous…arrogant…_

She thought of snarling back some retort, but did not see the value in it.

What would talking do, it would not put Nass' lightsaber in her hand.

Time to end the charade, Avaryss thought grinning; she dropped her lightsaber into a Makashi guard.

She glared at her old ally.

"You want this lightsaber," she said coldly, letting her anger rise up and grow, her red eves blazed as much as her sword did.

"I'll give it to you, from the tip of the blade to the hilt, right up inside your belly, and out the other side!"

Nass sneered.

"So be it," she snarled, dropping into a Djem so fighting stance.

"You should have taken my offer," she said.

Avaryss sneered.

"Shut up and fight."

The Inquisitor's daughter cackled.

The time for talking was done.

Both Acolytes leapt at each other, blades flashing.

Their final trial had begun.

IOI

This was not the first time the two had crossed swords, but it was the first time that neither acolyte held anything back, those previous duels had been about bragging rights, or trying to improve their own techniques.

This was about life and death, a desire to excel or for vengeance! Their passions burned bright giving them new strength, access to a new well-spring of power!

Neither girl would give an inch.

Nass had likely thought that Avaryss would choose Soresu to begin their duel, to use her old strategy of trying to wear her opponent down. Avaryss instead struck only with Makashi, the duelist's style. It worked best on a single foe wielding a lightsaber.

Nass tried to use her strength and bully her opponent around the battle field, but Avaryss would not relent, this was not simply about seeing how skilled she was with a sword, this was about the future, her future, and it was about the past.

Avaryss snarled with unrestrained fury!

She found herself thinking about Fehl, his voice, his smile, the feeling of his lips on hers, his musky male smell, and the wonderful taste of his clean skin.

Then…she found herself thinking about how he died, seeing his body lying there, seeing it twisted by the contortions caused by the poison. She thought about what he had offered her, a life of love and happiness. She thought of following him not just as a fellow Sith, but one loved first and foremost, she thought of the children they would have likely have had.

That last part made her shudder. She had never really felt any maternal urges, not until that moment, knowing that Fehl had been taken from her, stolen, that he would never give her the children that she deserved.

It **enraged** her.

What they could have had had she managed to escape, the future bloodline they would have built together.

It would have been _glorious,_ but instead, it had ended with Fehl's death. Nass was the killer, she was sure of that now; she had ended a powerful and ancient Sith bloodline. She deserved to die for that. That and she had taken away a chance for Avaryss to enrich her own blood. She would never, could never marry him now, never bear his children. She could almost see him staring at her, his golden eyes blazing with hate; it was not hard to know what he wanted her to do.

She grimaced, as she rained down blows upon her opponent.

Fehl cried out to be avenged.

She pushed her old ally out onto the walkway with the dried moat, she tried, to use the Force to fling the other girl down into it, down onto the spikes where she had dropped her father's shade, but Nass' shield was too strong, the smaller girl retreated, back into the long corridors of the tomb.

Her enemy roared as she fell back.

Fehl?

The dark side blazed within her, she roared with fury.

" _ **YOU TOOK HIM AWAY FROM ME!"**_

She sprinted forward, using the Force to speed her way.

She triggered one of the tomb traps, and a swinging blade came down.

Avaryss did not even bother dodging it, so great was her rage.

She caught it with the Force tore it from its moorings, and flung it at her opponent, Nass flipped over it, just avoiding being cut, and landed, her sword at the ready. She dropped into a Soresu guard.

The Inquisitor's daughter laughed.

"You should be thanking me, Farm Girl," she hissed.

"You should show me some damn gratitude!"

Her old ally answered with Force lightning. Nass caught it on her blade, but the power of the strike pushed her back. Avaryss leaped in again, raining super-fast blows down on the other girl's defense.

The dark side was singing within her now. Hate, vengeance, rage, and fury were supercharging her connection. It moved her in a way she had never dreamed of before.

Her arm had become an extension of the dark side, and the dark side was hungry. It wanted fury, it wanted blood!

Avaryss was more than willing to give it what it wanted!

"Thank you," she spat.

"Thank you…for what?!"

Nass sneered even as she blocked her rival's blows.

"You were ready to give up, to simply accept a place beneath Fehl, had the two of you married you would have been little more than a pleasure slave. You would have satisfied his needs, maybe even bore him some half breed brats, but beyond that, you would never have found the power that you are feeling right now, never had the opportunity that you have right now."

Nass struck back, her own skill and power was nothing to laugh at. Avaryss was forced to retreat.

"I had you pegged the moment I first saw you, Farm Girl," Nass continued, "You're a thug, just hired help. You are no different than any of the other trash coming out of the Furies. You were strong sure, but that just meant you were hired muscle, a sword to be directed by your betters."

She grinned hungrily.

"In my hands you were that weapon, now…what are you? You're **nothing!"**

Avaryss did not respond, not with words, she was too lost in her fury to talk. A guttural snarl escaped her lips but that was it.

She struck back, trying to turn the tide back in her favor.

Both she and Nass tried a Force push at the same time, the two girls struggled, trying to hold their feet, but at the same time send their opponent flying. In the end, neither had the strength, they both let the Force take them back, they turned the push into rolls and sprang back to their feet. Avaryss flung a statue at her enemy, who countered with Force Lightning, the projectile shattered, but it did force Nass to dive for cover.

She did not find it; Avaryss was on her again in a heartbeat, her crimson blade cutting like a saw blade, hungry for the other girl's flesh.

Again Nass retreated, overwhelmed by Avaryss' strength.

 **Took him away from me, Took him away from me** , the words repeated with every pounding beat of Avaryss' heart.

 **Took him away!**

 **You** _ **will**_ **die!**

Their blades locked. The two found themselves eye to eye, struggling to drive the other back.

"Why Fehl," Avaryss growled, "WHY?!"

Nass sneered.

"If it makes you feel any better, I meant to kill you. You resisted me, disobeyed my orders. In short peasant, you **betrayed** _me_."

Avaryss hissed.

It did not make her feel any _**bloody**_ better! Nor did she like how Nass looked down upon her.

"Fehl was above you, **far** above," Avaryss said, "He was no threat to you. All you had to do was let me go, and he would have taken his final trial and been gone. He would never have threatened you."

Nass' eyes blazed with hate.

"You think I was afraid of your toy! He proved his weakness by taking you to his bed! He was unfit to be Sith, no matter his bloodline. He was **unworthy!"**

A wave of jealousy washed over Avaryss, Nass was no longer holding back her emotions, and the presence of it shocked her.

She…she was jealous of me, **my** power. She may even have been jealous of the fact that I had Fehl?

Avaryss' red eyes narrowed.

Nass was nothing, despite her bloodline, despite the world that she had been born into.

The inquisitor's daughter was _pathetic!_

She did not deserve to become Sith!

She shoved her rival back, but again Nass recovered and blocked her flurry of strikes.

The smaller girl laughed.

"You think it was me that told Tremel about your plan to flee? It wasn't. Many eyes are on you, Farm Girl. Someone has invested a lot of time in your training; they would not see it squandered by having you run off with some boy!"

Nass' words penetrated the red haze that had all but consumed her.

Someone…was watching her training?

"They do not realize that they have already wasted their time! You _**are**_ a waste of time. You are not fit to stand beside a dark lord, you are not worthy, but I am, despite what my father says, I'm worthy! It is me!"

It is me. Me. Me. Me. I'm worthy! It will be me. _**MEEEEEEEE!"**_

The tomb shook as Nass unleased a Force scream.

Avaryss staggered back, her over-sensitive ears left vulnerable to sonic attack thanks to Zyn's poisons.

It was all the edge that Nass needed.

The Inquisitor's daughter struck back. Now it was Avaryss retreating.

The scream did more than hurt her ears, it shook her soul.

Avaryss stumbled.

Her rival took full advantage.

The dark side was pulsing within Nass now, jealousy, hate, and rage, made her powerful. She turned its full fury on her opponent.

Rubble, broken droids, and bones rose up and flung themselves at Avaryss, spinning faster and faster, striking her from all sides. She cried out as a piece of sharpen bone sliced her leg. She stumbled as chunk of broken statue struck her in the back of the head, leaving her dizzy. Her Force shields were overloaded, by the onslaught.

Nass came at her again, hungry for the kill. It was all that Avaryss could do to hold her back. She…

She ducked a piece of rubble only to catch a glancing blow from the other girl's lightsaber, the blade caught her across the back, from shoulder blade to shoulder blade.

She gasped.

She had always assumed a lightsaber blade wound would feel hot, it didn't.

It was cold, subzero cold!

It burned like the pole of some ice world!

She gasped, and almost lost her weapon.

Nass Force pushed her.

She flew back down a short staircase and came down hard on her burned back.

She cried out in pain.

The cut from the lightsaber was not deep; the cortosis weave plates in her battle suit were designed to block a lightsaber, not a direct cut perhaps, but a glancing blow like the one she received, most definitely.

I'm lucky she realized, a little higher and Nass might have sliced her spinal column.

The wound _**did**_ burn though, it burned horribly!

It also made raising her arms a bit troublesome, she tried to rise, get back into a fighting stance.

She only just managed.

Nass stood before her, looking down on her opponent on her wobbly legs.

The Inquisitor's daughter laughed.

"Not so tough now, are you, _peasant?!"_

Avaryss did not answer. It was taking all of her strength just to remain upright, her ears were ringing from the effect of Nass' scream, her head felt funny, and she thought she might be concussed.

She glared at her rival.

Come on, she thought.

Come on, if you dare!

Nass leisurely approached her, swinging her red blade tauntingly.

"Poor Taya," she purred, "About to lose her favorite pet."

Nass shook her head.

"If you only knew what I had to put up with when you were floating in that kolto tank."

"Taya missed me, I take it?"

The Inquisitor's daughter rolled her eyes.

"If you had died, she probably would have killed herself, the weak little fool! I swear all I heard spewing out of her mouth all that time was. I killed Avy! Poor Avy!""

She looked down on her wounded enemy with disdain.

"She is in love with you, do you know that? You have been her only fantasy for the last few months."

Avaryss blinked, despite the pain, she was shocked.

Taya…Taya is in love with me?!

It would explain a lot, she supposed.

She had never thought of her ally in that way, but…

Nass must have noticed the look on her face.

She laughed.

"You didn't know? I'm not surprised. Our little Tay has… _exotic_ tastes. She is attracted to power, male or female; it makes no difference to her."

The Inquisitor's daughter smiled deviously.

"I had hoped to use that desire to my advantage, it is part of the reason I waited so long to turn against you. Taya was a useful pawn, as you were."

She shrugged.

"Oh well, nothing lasts forever."

Avaryss glared daggers at her.

Taya was not the issue right now, this fight was.

Not that it would be much of a fight now, not after her getting wounded.

She sank to her knees.

Strength was not the dark side's only reward.

It was time to try a little manipulation.

She laughed.

"Tell me, did you get a chance to kill your daddy down here Nass? Did you get to kill the Lord Inquisitor? I know how much you hate him."

Nass paused, any enjoyment she had been getting from taunting Avaryss faded.

She pulsed with hate.

"Shut up," she growled.

"Does the fact that you want to kill him shame you? It shouldn't. I killed my whole family down here, and they loved me."

She grinned savagely.

"That puts me one up on you doesn't it?"

Nass continued to come closer, she was radiating with dark anger, and it was only continuing to build.

Avaryss twisted the blade even more.

"What about that endless string of paramours you told me about. Did you get the chance to kill any of them? Oh I certainly hope so, I can imagine how much their deaths would be worth, after all, your father gave them more affection than he ever gave you, didn't he?"

"I'm going to kill you Avaryss," Nass growled, "I don't care what you say!"

Avaryss grinned.

 _Yes, you do,_ she thought.

 _Otherwise I would be dead already._

She could feel the other girl's power building, but at the same time, she could feel her shield slipping.

Rage was useful, but it could get in the way if you let it.

Avaryss was determined to see that it did.

"You know," she said coolly, "Becoming Sith, getting a powerful master, it will not give you what you want; your father will still look down on you, still sneer at you."

"You know _nothing_ ," Nass snapped.

"You're right, I don't, but **you** do. Search your feelings, Nass, you know what I'm saying is true."

The Inquisitor's daughter stepped behind her, raising her blade.

"I'll shut you up permanently, you…you peasant!"

"Go right ahead," Avaryss said, "You will still be nothing in your father's eyes."

Nass hissed, and in that moment of rage, she let her shields drop, she put all her power into her sword arm, she did not simply want to take Avaryss' head, she wanted to send it flying.

That was all the opportunity that Avaryss needed.

Time seemed to slow down as she called on the Force.

She moved with a speed none could match sliding out of the way of her rival's strike. The red blade passed her head and continued down its arc; Nass had committed so much to that strike that she did not recover quickly enough.

Avaryss was ready.

She ignored the pain from her burned back, and lunged forward with her new lightsaber, Nass' blade was out of position, unable to block.

She fulfilled the promise she made to Nass at the start of their duel.

She drove the blade from tip to hilt into her belly, with the tip coming out the other side.

Nass gasped and looked down, seeing Avaryss grinning up at her, smelling burned cloth and flesh.

Her weapon deactivated and fell from her hand.

Avaryss turned off her own sword and rolled out of the way.

She used the Force to pull the fallen weapon to her, to catch it in her off hand.

She struggled to her feet, as Nass went down on her knees. The other girl was coughing, her eyes wide with both shock and surprise.

She looked up as Avaryss lit both of her lightsabers and crossed the blades lowering them so the blades were on both sides of her doomed rival's neck.

Avaryss glared down at her, savoring this moment.

 _Who is the peasant **now**_ , she thought.

Nass coughed and bowed her head.

"I yield" she gasped, "I yield!"

Avaryss gave her an arched look.

"So you yield, what do I care?"

Nass looked up with fear in her eyes.

"You…you would not kill a beaten opponent, Farm Girl! I…I know you too well. I…I am done here, possibly dying. There…there is no reason to finish this."

Avaryss sneered.

The witch had killed Fehl, which was **all** the reason she needed.

Yet, she felt…felt…

She blinked.

The light was reaching out for her again, that tether of light, the bright shiny piece of her that the darkness could not touch.

It made her hesitate, despite what she knew to be true.

Nass tried to laugh, but it turned into a coughing fit.

She looked up at her former friend.

"You…you can't do it, can you? I always knew you were…"

 _ **SNIP!**_

Avaryss pulled the blades apart, the lightsabers cut through the beaten girl's neck.

Nass' head fell back and away, her body slumped to the side.

She collapsed to the floor of the tomb...dead.

She would trouble her rival, no more.

Avaryss was left alone in the tomb, only the sound of the lightsabers humming that and her own breathing.

She swallowed hard.

She had done it!

It was over!

She shook her head.

She expected… _something_. Some sense of elation, some new understanding of her power, and of the dark side itself. Instead, she felt nothing, only a cold certainty, and a realization that she had done what was needed.

She nodded.

That was enough, she knew.

For now…

She turned away, the body of her former friend was unimportant; Nass was dead, best forgotten. She thought briefly what she was going to say to Taya, but dismissed such sentiment.

It did not matter what Taya thought, perhaps it never did.

All that mattered was her desires, and the desires of her future master.

Avaryss smiled.

She understood now.

Nass was the final stumbling block; she had crossed the threshold and would never go back.

She shivered with excitement.

"I am Sith," she said coldly, and knew it to be true.

"Now…I am _**Sith.**_ "


	45. The Apprentice

**Chapter 45: The Apprentice**

By the time Avaryss finally emerged from the forgotten tomb, two days had passed, though she would not know that until much later. She had gone into the tomb early in the day, and now, as she emerged, night was starting to fall over Korriban. The young Sith stepped out into the night and tasted fresh air for the first time in what felt like forever. The tomb's defenses did nothing to block her leaving, and through the Force she had found her way out easily.

 _The spirit had no further reason to hold me, perhaps it even_ _ **accepted**_ _my leaving, and it did show me where those hidden scrolls were kept._

 _Those might be the real prize of this endeavor;_ she thought _who knew what secrets might be locked inside, waiting to be translated, waiting to be rediscovered?_

Once she had mastered what they contained, she _might_ turn them over to the Imperial Reclamation Service, but then again, she might not.

Those scrolls were meant for _**me**_ , why shouldn't they be mine and mine alone, or at the very least, to only be shared with my chosen apprentice one day.

The ghost could have stopped her from taking them, it could have tried, but it had not, she took that as a sign of approval.

No, she had paid her tribute to the ancient Sith in blood, Nass' blood. The fallen acolyte's body now belonged to the ancient one; she could do whatever she wished with it now.

Nass had been nothing; she was dead, and best forgotten.

The future belonged to Avaryss.

She grinned triumphantly as she leapt down from the tomb entrance. She bypassed the ramp without fear, not even bothering to disable the still functional mines. She felt as light as a feather as she used the Force to drop down back onto the Valley floor. She had not felt his good since those simple days of checking the readings on the collection towers on Oridanna. That life seemed distant, but she now looked at it as an origin for her, a chrysalis period, a period of time that had ended with something new emerging. Now that she had passed her final trial, any sense of weakness or morality seemed distant.

She was Sith now; she felt it in her bones.

What came next would likely be even more exciting, presenting her new master with the prize she had taken from Nass, and accepting his place as a new Sith apprentice.

She looked around, drinking in the details of the world through the Force. She was eager to return to the academy.

She had a new life to start.

As she made her way back, the stress and trials of the two previous days began to catch up with her. Her body began to slow. She suddenly realized how hungry and thirsty she was, and her body felt like one big bruise. She drew on the Force to refresh herself, but that was only a delaying action nothing more.

A living body could be sustained by the Force, but not indefinitely.

She would need both rest and sustenance soon.

She began her journey back to the academy, towards the distant lights of the Imperial reclamation service's base camp, there were always someone working near the mouth of the valley, searching the tombs for this artifact or that.

One of them would have a speeder, to help her get back; maybe they would even have some food or water? Perhaps she would take it, she was Sith after all. The Imperials existed to serve her.

They would give her what she wanted, or they would suffer.

Either result would suit her just fine.

She had little memory of what followed, the strain of her time in the tomb catching up with her. If asked about it later, all she could remember was encountering a group of imperials and of ordering them to take her back to the academy.

They obeyed with no resistance. She was one of their masters now, after all, and she had two lightsabers. If the former had not made them comply with her wishes, the latter would.

Soon she was in a speeder, riding the rest of the way back. She let one of the officers taking a look at her wounded back. The lightsaber burn wasn't bad, the soldier informed her; the combat suit she was wearing had done its job.

It was fully night by the time they finally touched down on one of the academy landing pads. Avaryss said nothing as she sprang from the transport and headed inside. Some random guard tried to stop her, but she silenced him with a cold and feral glare. She remained silent as she made her way down to medical to get checked out by the droids there, they fussed around her for a while. They offered her nutrient tablets, water, and placed a kolto patch over her burns. They pressed some device on her head to help with her concussion. The soft hum of the device did its job, and allowed her head to truly clear. One of the droids saw to the cut on her head, while the other nattered on about several cracked ribs and cleaned the cut on her leg. She let them work; she was eager to be out of here, but understood that she needed to let them finish what they were doing.

It would not do to die from some minor injury simply because she had not allowed it to be treated. Such an end would be foolish, especially on the eve of meeting her new master for the first time.

Briefly she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror. The sight of how she looked surprised her. Her hair was matted and dirty stained with dried blood, her eyes were red rimmed with heavy bags beneath them; they looked like she had not slept in days. She might have been one of Spindrall's failed acolytes, or some fanatic driven mad by the heat and the power of the dark side. She looked like some crazed tomb dweller, or some shell shocked survivor of some perilous journey.

I look like I've been through a war, she thought.

Not surprising, considering she had, at least that is what it felt like, her confrontation with Nass had been no mere trial.

It had been a war.

Though luke warm; the water the droids gave her tasted sweeter than any wine, which suggested how desperately her body had needed it. When they pronounced her fit to travel again, after having injected her with vitamin boosters, and mild pain killer, they suggested that she find food as soon as possible she had obeyed without complaint, the loud growling of her belly making it a point where her next destination was.

The Korriban Academy was always a busy place, it may have been the dead of night, but there were always servants and soldiers moving through its halls. The kitchens were always open, with droids and servants preparing food for the morning meal. No one stopped her when she entered, grabbing up what food she could find, both servants and droids stayed out of her way, as she headed out with her rather large pilfered meal in tow, whether it was the state she was in, or the weapons she was carrying she truly could not say. She sat down at the nearest table and started eating. She saw a servant leave the kitchen a few minutes later and speak with one of the guards, who hurried off, perhaps trying to escape her notice.

She paid them no mind.

By now Harkun and Tremel would have heard of her return. The fact that they had not sent for her yet meant that they likely understood what was happening.

She ate in silence, or rather **gorged** herself in silence. The food was delicious, despite being nothing special, more proof that she had spent far too much time in that bloody tomb. She still had no idea how long she had been down there, and would not have cared even if she did.

She required food, and that was her first priority.

Certainly she could wait until morning to meet with the overseers.

When she had finally eaten her fill, she yawned and stretched contently, some pain remained, but that was a minor inconvenience after the trial of the previous days. She rose from her seat, and made her way back to her room, her body full of both food and medicine, now she required rest.

She welcomed that. Sleep would be more than sweet right now.

It would be…paradise.

She somehow found her way back to her room without encountering anyone. She closed and locked the door behind her, and when that was done stripped out of her damaged combat suit. Her war blade, the Sith scrolls, and her two lightsabers were sat carefully next to her bed, while she tore off her damaged battle suit, armor, and underclothes. She did not even bother changing into night gown; she simply pulled back the covers and collapsed, pulling the sheets over top of her. After the harshness of the trial, finally being able to rest in a bed was a pleasure, the sheets felt glorious on her bare skin, not even her injuries could haunt her now. She buried her head in the pillow as the last of her strength finally slipped away.

She was asleep in moments, a dark _dreamless_ sleep.

It was the most restful night she had enjoyed in a long time, perhaps since the destruction of her home on Oridanna.

No dreams haunted her, no ghosts of the past rose up to torment her.

She had nothing to fear now, she was Sith, and her master was coming.

She smiled slightly.

She welcomed the chance to meet him.

IOI

She awoke a few hours later to knocking at her door.

Though still groggy, she leapt from her bed drawing her lightsaber to her. She reached out with the Force, seeking whoever would be so foolish to disturb her rest.

The presence she felt offered no threat, the barest flickering of the Force, and no aggressive intent.

Again she heard knocking, and someone saying "Mistress."

She sighed, pulling her old red acolyte's tunic over her head, to protect her modesty at least, no point in letting some peon see something that he was unworthy of.

Her lessers did not deserve to see her in such a state.

She unlocked and opened the door, sticking her head out.

"Yes," she said coldly.

The servant cowered before her, refusing to meet her gaze.

"Forgive the interruption, Acolyte," she said quickly, "I'm…I'm here from Overseer Tremel, he wishes to see you today after afternoon meal."

Avaryss' eyes narrowed.

"What time is it?" she asked.

The servant told her, still three hours before dawn.

She sighed.

"Inform the overseer, I will be there," she said, "Now…go away."

"As you wish, Acolyte," the boy said bobbing his head and bowing vigorously.

"As you wish."

Avaryss shut the door and rolled her eyes.

Tremel **dared** wake her for that?

He could just have easily left a message on her data pad.

Still not feeling fully recovered, she pulled off her tunic and slipped back into bed.

Hopefully she would be more alert when she met the overseers. She had no desire to embarrass herself before them, or her new master.

She smiled slightly.

Her new master, she wondered what her apprenticeship would entail.

She was more than eager to continue her training.

As she drifted off to sleep again, she found herself in a dream that, for once, she did not mind having.

She dreamed that Fehl had come to her; that he had slipped into her room and into her bed.

She moaned in her sleep, feeling his hands upon her, desiring only his touch. She…

She gasped as she realized they were not alone!

Taya was here, sharing the bed with them.

She had just started kissing Avaryss when she woke with a start.

The young Sith gasped, looking around her room, her blush turning her pale cheeks pink.

She shook her head, and cursed under her breath.

"Damn it," she murmured.

 _Damn Nass for putting the idea that Taya desired me into my head!_

She lay back down again, trying to relax, but it was a while before she managed to drift back off to sleep.

Avaryss frowned slightly.

What was she going to do with Taya? She wondered.

If what Nass said was true, she needed to tread lightly.

Taya had connections that she would need; she had no desire to risk losing them, but at the same time…

She sighed.

She would need to come up with something.

I could play along, she realized; if she does care about me; that is just one more chain I can use to keep her loyal.

It would be in my best interest to keep her…happy.

She would consider that, she was not sure if she would have a chance to talk with her before meeting her new master, but if she didn't. At the very least Taya had her marching orders, she seemed more than willing to carry them out to the letter.

If she became full Sith, they could decide what to do next.

She finally drifted back to sleep, when she woke up again a few hours later, she felt much more rested, her head was clearer.

She bathed and cleaned herself up, and prepared for her meeting with the overseers.

She decided to wear her second level acolyte uniform, her red tunic, and black leggings, let them see her as proper student again, a student worthy of graduating and moving out into the Empire. Her long black hair she pulled back and wrapped into a long braid, similar to the one that Fehl had worn.

She smiled at herself in the mirror.

It made sense that she should honor him, after all, his sacrifice had helped her make it this far. The rage at his death had prompted her to make the jump to the next level.

As the time of afternoon meal approached, she packed up her few belongings. Her war blade, Fehl's cloak, not to mention her new scrolls, she hoped that she would have a chance to translate them soon, who knew what secrets they might contain.

By the time she left her quarters and began her journey to Tremel's office, she was ready. When she reached out with the Force she felt a sense of impending…something, she could not say for sure what it was.

It only served to excite her more, get her blood pumping that much faster.

She passed several acolytes in the hall, several of them commenting on the lightsabers on her belt. Wondering how and where she had gotten them.

Let them wonder she thought; I'm above them now, the worthless wretches.

Hopefully, Tremel and Harkun would have good news for her.

She had accomplished what they had wanted.

Now…she wanted her reward.

The two overseers were waiting for her when she arrived. They were conversing in hushed voices as she entered. They paused and looked up when they realized they were no longer alone.

She gave them a warm smile.

"Overseers," she said dropping to one knee, "I've returned to you...victorious."

The two looked down upon her, their cold eyes evaluating her.

Harkun was the first to smile.

"It seems like you owe me a credit, Tremel. The girl survived your little test."

Tremel nodded thoughtfully.

"It seems that I do. I must admit though, I had expected Acolyte Nass to be the one to return to us."

Harkun chuckled.

"Sometimes," he said, "The predator on the bottom is far hungrier than the one that is on top."

He gave Avaryss a pleased look.

"Well done, girl," he said, "Well done."

Avaryss grinned, basking in her overseer's praise.

It was nothing my lord," she said respectfully.

"Your training has served me well."

Tremel turned fully to her then, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Let me see the lightsabers, child. Let me see that you have done as we have asked."

She nodded and removed both weapons from her belt, rather than simply take them; the overseer pulled them to him with the Force.

He regarded both weapons thoughtfully.

"I knew the men who wielded these before you, both were excellent Sith. Acolyte Nass would have been an equally worthy successor, she was a girl of both good breeding and refined taste."

Avaryss tried not to snarl at the overseer's comment.

Those men he was praising had been weak; the tomb destroyed them, as for Nass…well…

She had murdered Fehl, how great could she truly be?

She did not say this however; she suspected that Tremel already knew who had been the culprit. He had simply chosen not to punish her because he had wanted Avaryss gone more.

A flicker of anger flashed through her eyes as she regarded Tremel.

Careful Overseer, she wanted to say, picking which student should survive and which one should not might very well be the death of you…someday.

For now, she played the good student.

She wanted to meet her new master.

"I will prove myself worthy to carry my new lightsaber, my lords," she said bowing her head in submission, "As for Nass and her tastes…well…"

Avaryss smiled deviously as she looked at the two men.

"I'm sure you could ask the K'lor slugs and the Tukata, they are probably dining on what is left of Nass right now. I'm certain that they could verify her good taste for you."

Harkun chuckled at her comment. Even Tremel managed a hint of a smile.

He handed the two lightsabers back to her.

"Your new master will be pleased," he said, "His dreadnaught arrived during the night, perhaps he sensed your victory."

A shiver ran down her spine.

Her master had his **own** dreadnaught.

Surely he must be a powerful Sith indeed!

"He awaits your arrival upstairs in the training room," Tremel informed her, "You will go to him now and present him with Nass' lightsaber, proof of your willingness to serve him."

She nodded gamely.

Finally, she thought.

We shall finally meet.

But why the training room, she wondered, surely he could have met her here, but at the same time, he was the master.

Perhaps he wished to establish his dominance over her early on.

"May I ask a question, my lord?" she said addressing Tremel.

"You may."

"My master, is _**he**_ the one that saved me during my interrogation?"

Both Tremel and Harkun looked at each other, evaluating what they should say no doubt.

Finally, Harkun nodded.

"He is _indeed_ , youngster, he sees great potential in you."

The red haired overseer frowned.

"Do not make him regret that decision."

"Never," she promised, "he will find me a leal and loyal apprentice."

Tremel smiled as he nodded.

"Go then young Sith; present yourself to your new master, and may the Force serve you well."

She rose, bowing one more time before the overseers before executing a sharp military turn and leaving.

She was giddy with excitement, every nerve ending felt like it was supercharged.

Her new master was awaiting her.

She could barely contain her excitement!

Even Tremel had been forced to acknowledge that she was a full Sith.

Now she would prove it to her new master.

She made her way up the stairs, quickly, not running, but not merely walking either. She saw no other acolytes, only guards as she passed, they said nothing to her, and did not seem the normal guards that she was used to.

Her master's men she realized, making sure no one tried anything. Korriban might be an academy of the Sith, but that did not mean that even a dark lord was completely safe here.

His caution impressed her.

She reached out with the Force; she felt a strong and dark presence up ahead. The presence almost took her breath away. If this was not a member of the dark council, she would be shocked.

Oh the wonders that awaited her beyond these walls, the challenges that she would face as a dark council member's apprentice, and when her master grew weak or feeble, he would have a strong and willing successor in the wings, waiting to retire him.

The thought made her giggle.

Councilor Darth Avaryss.

She could see such a title being hers one day.

The dark presence continued to grow. It drew her like a moth to a flame.

Finally, the doors to the training room were before her, they hissed open allowing her entrance.

She frowned.

The chamber was empty.

She blinked and looked around.

It could not be empty? She felt her new master's presence, he had to be here!

"Greetings, young one."

The voice was soft and deadly, like a serpent that could end you with a single kiss.

Shivers ran down her spine, it was not just from excitement, but from…fear?

Avaryss frowned.

 _She had heard that voice before!_

"So you are finally ready," her new master continued, "You have ripened so fast," the dark lord chuckled.

"It pleases me that you have reached this point that you have not wasted both our times."

Avaryss looked around, still not seeing him, yet her heart was pounding, her mouth had gone dry.

 _She knew that voice._

"I...I am yours to command, my lord," she said still seeking him.

"Are you, are you truly?"

He laughed again.

"We shall see."

She frowned, not liking the direction this meeting was taking.

"May I see you, my lord? I would look upon the face of my new master."

"Of course," he said, "Turn around, youngster."

She shivered, not with anticipation but something else, the Force was almost screaming at her now.

She turned, expecting to find a monster behind her, it felt like that is what she would find.

She was not wrong.

The bile rose in her throat.

He was not a very large man, in truth; they could almost look eye to eye. His armor and robes spoke of both wealth and great power. His curly blonde hair was graying slightly, and his clean shaven face bore a look of pure amusement. His yellow Sith eyes blazed with power only just restrained.

He looked upon her with both amusement and caution.

Her red eyes widened in horror!

"You," murmured.

The Dark Lord laughed.

"You know me, good," Darth Feer, Dark Lord of the Sith, and master of the Itae system, said with a good natured smile.

She stood there, frozen in disbelief.

He raised a hand.

"It is good to meet you at last Keera Lylos, or should I say Avaryss. I'm sure you will agree this has been a long time coming."

His face shifted, he no longer smiled, his eyes became cold and imperious, and perhaps a little mocking.

"Now, my new apprentice," he said gesturing.

"Kneel before your master."


	46. The Master

**Chapter 46: The Master**

"Kneel before your master."

It was with those words that Avaryss snapped out of her shock. Her crimson eyes narrowed, her power building in her, it flowed into her with every pounding beat of her heart, like black venom flowing into a serpent's fangs.

He is here, she thought.

Lord Feer is here.

Her fingers curled like claws.

Finally.

Long denied revenge fantasies flashed through her mind, all the horrible things that the dark side could do to a person stood up to be acknowledged.

It was all she could do to think, to keep from trying to unleash every last one on this man.

The man…who had made her what she was.

The dark lord sensed what she was doing, how could he not, her fury and hate were glowing like a beacon inside her.

Lord Feer smirked; he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, basking in the heat of her emotions.

"I can feel it," he whispered, "the hate swelling in you; it is a beautiful thing, a wondrous thing.

He opened his eyes and grinned.

"I believe you have something for me? The lightsaber you recovered from that fool girl…what was her name again?"

Avaryss could barely speak, so great was her rage, her desire for vengeance long denied.

"Nass," she hissed.

Feer chuckled.

"Yes, that is it, thank you apprentice. Nass…she was not as _competent_ as I had hoped, but then again, if she had been…you would not be here right now, would you?"

She shook her head _no_.

 _Wait for it,_ she thought.

 _It is almost time._

He continued to hold out his hand.

"The lightsaber, apprentice, your offering…give it to me."

She smiled.

"Of course, my lord," she said in a silky venomous voice, holding the blade out to him, turned just so that the blade would emerge through his chest.

It would be just the start, the first course in a long meal of vengeance.

How long could she keep him alive? How many hours would he suffer before his body finally gave out?

It would be fun to find out.

Her eyes sparkled with desire.

"It is yours," she said, **"Take it!"**

She pressed the activator button, eager to see the blade punch through the murdering old fool.

She was disappointed.

The lightsaber did not activate.

She frowned, pressing the button again and again.

Nothing.

She looked down at the blade, her finger was over the button, but it would not go down, it would not press.

Something was blocking her finger from triggering it.

She looked up at the face of her family's murderer.

Lord Feer gave her a sly wink.

"Is something wrong, young one?"

He plucked the blade from her hand. He spun it around and activated it.

The blade lit and bathed the dark lord in crimson light. He regarded the weapon with amusement.

"It seems to work just fine."

Avaryss sprang back; she back flipped out of reach of the dark lord's weapon and drew her own lightsaber.

The weapon ignited with an evil hiss.

The two faced each other, the air pregnant with murderous potential.

Feer gave her a cool look.

"You are being _disobedient_ , apprentice, not to mention **impudent.** "

He shook his head.

"Deactivate your weapon; it is time that we had a little chat.

Avaryss did not comply.

She had waited almost two years for this moment.

She would not let it pass her by now.

" _You killed my family,"_ she hissed.

Lord Feer rolled his eyes.

"Are we still singing _**that**_ song, my child? I had hoped you would have found a new one by now. You have so much to offer, why do you continue to obsess over such…such a mundane loss?"

Avaryss snarled.

"Because they were _**my**_ family, they were _**mine!"**_

" _ **You took from ME!"**_

She rose and fired Sith lightning at him. He could have caught it with his lightsaber, but he did not even bother.

He raised his hand, and the lightning wrapped around him like it had struck an invisible bubble. She poured more power into her attack only to have it dissipate without even burning the edges of his robes.

When she finally lowered her hand, the dark lord dusted himself off and gave her a stern look.

"It seems you must learn your first lesson. I had thought you wiser than this, but…"

He shrugged.

"Some people can just be so stubborn."

She lunged at him with her lightsaber.

She never got within ten feet.

She found herself in the air, floating five feet off the ground. He flung her hard against the wall. Her Force shield held, but only barely.

He sent her flying across the training room again. This time she was ready.

She twisted in the air, and managed to hit the wall feet first, she sprang off and landed before the lord again, only this time she did not wait for him to attack again.

She seized one of the hooded statues that she found so disturbing; she sent it shooting towards Lord Feer like a missile.

He leapt over it, and sent a massive blast of Force energy rippling towards her.

She was flung back again caught in a wave of pure fury. She struck the wall behind her hard, stars exploded before her eyes. She did not break anything, the Force had shielded her, but the sheer power of the strike left her dazed.

Before she could recover, Lord Feer was on her again. He gestured, his hand forming a claw.

She gasped as her entire body began to be squeezed.

Avaryss coughed and tried to fight, she tried to call on her sorcery, to strike back at her opponent. He, likely recognizing what she was doing, so he lifted her up in the air again and again, slamming her down hard each time with more and more force, and still the crushing pressure remained, keeping her from filling her lungs with air. It was all she could do to keep from being crushed like an empty rations can.

After four hard strikes, she found herself on her hands and knees, unable to move.

Feer approached; using the Force he ripped her lightsaber from her grip. He caught it in his off hand and lit the blade.

As she struggled to rise, cursing him a coward for not meeting her blade upon blade, she found the two swords crossed at her neck.

She froze.

It was just as she had done with Nass, and she knew what the final result of _**that**_ had been.

She glared up defiantly. Though on some small level she was shocked, terrified!

He was so _**powerful!**_

She had not stood a chance! Even after all her training, all her studying and hard work.

It had all been for **nothing!**

She swallowed hard, trying to hold onto her anger, to be brave one last time.

If he expected her to beg, she would not do it.

He shook his head in disappointment.

"Thus ends your first lesson," he said, "Your master is stronger than you; otherwise he would not _**be**_ your master. Try to remember that, my child."

He gave her a fond look.

"You still have much to learn."

She continued to glare daggers at him.

" _I'm_ _ **not**_ _your child!"_ she spat.

"Of course you are," he replied, "You may not be of my body, but it was through _**my**_ actions that you were created. What would you be if **not** for me? You would certainly not be Avaryss; that is for sure."

He kept her pinned by the Force, no matter how much she struggled; she could barely lift a finger.

 _He_ _ **is**_ _a Darth_ , she reminded herself.

 _A Darth is death incarnate, you should have remembered that._

She hissed with frustration.

Now…that death _had_ come for her.

Strangely enough, she was not afraid.

All she had had since Fehl died was her desire to fulfill her mission, now that was gone.

Finally, she was ready to die.

Darth Feer it seemed had…other plans. He deactivated the two lightsabers and clipped them to his belt.

He smiled.

"You have no idea how fond I've grown of you, young one. You have done so well, come so far."

He shook his head.

"It would truly be a shame to end your life."

She gathered the dark side within her, tried one last time to free herself. She felt his grip loosen for a moment, but even before she could take advantage, that grip of his returned, snapping shut like a steel trap.

She might have well been some insect stuck in amber.

Why doesn't he end it? She thought.

I will never be his.

As she thought that, another question sprang to mind, one she had not considered before.

She swallowed hard.

"How," she asked, "How…how did you find out about me?"

Lord Feer never stopped smiling; he looked down on her like some indulgent parent that finally realized he needed to correct a misbehaving child.

"How little you understand," he answered, "Young one, you were **never** lost to me. I've known who and what you were from the moment that I allowed you to be loaded into that crate and smuggled off of Oridanna."

His words surprised her, she…she…

 _What?_

"You knew?"

He nodded.

"You've known about me from the beginning?"

Again he nodded.

She shook her head no.

No! This…this couldn't be?

It couldn't!

"The Imperial Mission hid me from you. They…they wanted me to become Sith, they did not care that I wished to destroy you, only that I served the Empire."

"That was a lie; I'm afraid," he informed her, "After you destroyed my men on Oridanna, the first thing the missionary that was accompanying them did was contact me. Informing me of what they had found."

He shook his head.

"I must admit, my first knee-jerk reaction was to have you killed the moment you arrived in Danna City. I thought you some sleeper agent of that fool Daverus. Surely such a powerful Force user could not have remained hidden from the Empire. The first time we met you were be interrogated by the Sisters, you had been pumped so full of truth serum that you likely don't remember that meeting. I confess; I was shocked when I saw you that first time. This small fifteen year old girl had destroyed a company of soldiers and one of my best enforcers."

He chuckled.

"I was impressed young one, very impressed; you were something that I had never seen before."

Avaryss did not struggle, but in her head, her mind was awhirl, it felt like everything she had known was collapsing in on itself.

He knew. She realized.

He knew the whole time.

The Missionaries lied to me.

They lied.

"I returned to my ship to consider your fate," he said, "When I contacted the mission again, they informed me that you were not only awake, but wanted to become Sith. They suggested that you be sent to Korriban without delay, that I should inform you that I'd agreed not only to spare your life, but offer you my patronage. They said you would be so grateful."

He laughed at that.

"Foolish old hens, they don't understand the dark side, they believe they do, but their knowledge is that of a scholar, not someone who lives and breathes with the power in their veins."

He sighed.

"As I listened to your interrogation, heard the venom in your voice, I knew. I knew that if I revealed myself as your patron you would never accept. I knew that you would provoke me into destroying you out of spite. I did not wish that."

He gently brushed her face with his finger, part of her wanted to snap at him like a dog, try to bite the offending digit off."

Her rage only amused him further.

"I know the power of hatred, and I know the value of having an enemy to direct it. I knew your hate would draw you further down the dark path. If I sent you to Korriban, you would be surrounded by those only interested in your powers. They would not have broken you down and shaped you into what I needed you to become. You had a strong sense of justice when we found you, that needed to be worn away. Otherwise you might have embraced the light, sought to bring **me** to justice."

He leaned in close.

"I think that we can both agree; that would not have served either of us."

She continued to glare at him.

"You had me sent to Fury 9?"

Again, he nodded.

"I'm a graduate of Fury 9, myself, did you know that? My father began his own dark path as a marauder, eventually made his way up to a lord, but when I was a boy; we did not have the prestige for me to be sent first to Korriban. So I was sent to Fury. I knew what that blasted rock could do. I knew how it would shape you. I hated my father for sending me there, just as you hated me for what I did."

He chuckled.

"Hatred is a powerful thing; it keeps you warm, and focuses the mind. I was willing to play the villain for you because I knew what it would unleash. What I hoped that it would unleash."

Her fingers dug into the ground; if they dug in any harder her nails would have snapped off.

 _He wanted to play the villain_ , she thought.

 _He **was** the villain, and he **still** is!_

The dark side raged inside her, trying to break free, but the dark lord's words had ensnared her. What he was saying drew her in. She was all but mesmerize.

The heat began to fade; there was nothing but the dark lord, and his words, his story.

That story had a moral.

 _Your whole life has been a lie,_ it seemed to say.

 _It is now time to learn the truth._

"Of course, I could not resist sending little hurdles to test you on your journey," he admitted, "Your little crush, Bryden; he was acting on **my** orders. I promised I would let him come to Korriban if he either broke or killed you."

She snarled when hearing that.

"So…so you did want me dead?!"

"I wanted you _tested_. If he succeeded, then I would have known that you were too weak to serve my purposes. I wanted to see how far you would go. I wanted to see how you would deal with an enemy."

"Again, you rewarded my faith in you. You destroyed the boy, and claimed his spot as a squad leader. I was never so proud."

He sat down on the floor next to her; she felt no rage from the dark lord now, only admiration, and a strange sense of affection.

He would still kill me, she knew, but he wanted her to understand everything that had come before.

"I lost track of your for time, the affairs of running a star system, much less two require much attention. By the time you had forged your alliance with those two girls in Butcher's Clearing, it was clear that you needed to be tested again. I provided some credits to a group of acolytes that you and your littles friends had wronged.

"That business with the shadow wasps," she said, "That was you?"

"It was, the whole shadow wasp thing was their idea, but it was inspired. It is almost a shame that you had to kill them, such tactics would have served them well had they lived a bit longer."

"They were weak," she said flatly, "They attacked, and they failed. The weak deserve their fate."

"Well said," he said smiling proudly.

Despite herself, despite the pain and humiliation, she felt a slight sense of pride. Praise from a dark lord was a rare thing.

You don't need his praise! He is your enemy!

She knew that, but for the moment she could do nothing about it, only listen.

"After you destroyed that alien Padawan, I knew that you were ready for Korriban. I had one of my agents contact Overseer Alaria, inform her that it was in her best interest to send you on your way as soon as possible. She agreed after I offered her a chance to transfer away from Butcher's Clearing."

He snorted with amusement.

"You would be surprised how easy some people can be bought in this Empire of ours."

"Everyone wants something," she said.

"True, but we don't always get what we deserve."

He sighed.

"Which of course brings us up to your time here on Korriban; I was most eager to see how quickly you would rise in the ranks. After your two previous performances, I expected you to sweep away anyone who got in your way. I thought you would deal with that boy Fehl first…"

He looked at her with a frown.

"I did not expect, nor did I approve when you decided to jump into bed with him."

"Sorry to disappoint you," she said sarcastically.

If he had heard, he chose not to acknowledge her words.

He simply kept talking.

"I immediately put my agents to work on the boy and his followers. It was not hard to find someone in his power base willing to talk. They informed me of his little plan to smuggle you off world, to take you away from me."

He gave her a cold smile.

"I couldn't allow that, but at the same time I needed to proceed carefully. Many of my colleagues were interested in the boy after all. I ended up turning to your friend, the Inquisitor's girl."

"Nass," she hissed, "You told her to poison Fehl?"

"No," he said shaking his head, "I ordered her to test you, to do what she could to convince you to stay and finish your training. Somewhere along the way though, she got it into her head that if she killed you, then I would consider that proof of her superiority, and that I would choose her over you to be my new apprentice."

"I had nothing to do with the poisoning, but when I heard that the boy was dead, and that you were to be executed for the crime. I realized that I had to intervene. I stood before the dark council and pleaded your case. I had to tread lightly of course, some of them had wanted the boy for an apprentice, and would have likely blamed me for what had happened. It took some politicking on my part, and a few well-placed promises, but they finally agreed to spare your life. I rushed to your side. Though I almost arrived too late, you did manage to survive."

He grinned pleasantly at her.

"You are welcome by the way."

She thought of what she had endured during those months, forced to wear a respirator, enduring the humiliation of being left helpless, thinking that she would never feel the Force surge through her again.

"You left me broken," she said coldly, "Why should I thank you for that?"

He gave her a cold look.

"A little gratitude on your part would not hurt," he advised, "Especially, considering the fact that I could crush you like bug if I desired it.

She felt the Force contract around her; she gasped, but did manage to suppress a pained whimper.

The crushing stopped, but the lesson had been learned.

She would be more mindful of her words in the future.

"For a time, I worried that you were lost to me. It was at that time that I realized how much I had come to enjoy hearing of your accomplishments, your successes. It was not easy for me to admit, but you were no longer simply a pawn to be moved across the board. I had come…to be fond of you, in my own way."

He smiled slightly.

"When I heard that you had managed to fight your way back, and regain your powers, I was ecstatic. I watched with glee as you nurtured your powers under Harkun. Of course, I had a loose end to tie up."

"Nass," she said.

"Indeed," he answered, "Someone in the Inquisitors talked, she found out that I was the one that contacted her about making sure you stayed on Korriban. She tried to blackmail me with that information. She demanded that I take her as an apprentice. You, of course, were ready to take your final trial, so I decided to deal with two problems with one single stroke."

The dark lord laughed.

"I knew that you would enjoy killing her, especially after what she had taken from you."

He sighed contentedly and stood up.

"And so, here we are, all caught up."

He gave her a savage smile.

"Now, you must decide what happens next."

"Me?" she gasped, still trying to resist his grip.

He nodded again.

"You have a choice, my child; **two** choices actually. So, you should choose wisely. I could release you from my grip, give you back your lightsaber, and we can duel like the Sith of old. I'm sure you will fight very bravely, and die quite quickly, and then we would have both wasted the last two years."

Avaryss eyes narrowed part of her wanting nothing more than what he had just offered. That part of her would rather die going out in a blaze of glory and blood than live as some broken cur. Still she found herself curious about what else the lord had to offer.

"And…the second choice," she asked.

He smiled broadly.

"That would be the truly hard choice. It will be a blow to your Sith pride, but if you can endure it, it will be worth it."

He stood straighter, looking down upon her like a god upon a mere mortal.

"Dying is easy, young one, living is hard. If you choose to live, you must abandon your hatred of me, it was a useful tool during your training, but now that it has served its purpose, it must be discarded. You will stop fighting me, and bow. You will accept my offer and become my new apprentice."

He sighed and shook his head.

"I know what I ask of you is not easy. Yet, the rewards awaiting you if you accept are considerable. Know that I am a Sith on the move, young one. In two years I will have added yet another star system to my holdings; in five years I will be sitting on the Dark Council, helping to govern the galaxy in the name of our glorious Emperor.

Once again she felt a wave of fondness from the dark lord. She desired only his death, yet he still looked upon her with pride.

He was a fool to be sure.

"When I do finally sit on the Dark Council, I will need someone to look after my holdings, a lord to oversee all that I have won. I had hoped that my son would take up that role, but I have come to realize that he is not up to the challenge.

That information made her blink.

"You have a son?" she said.

"Don't sound so surprised," he smirked, "Yes, I'm married and have a child. He is eleven and been trained by his mother since he was three."

The dark lord's eyes narrowed.

"When we first wed, I thought her my soul mate, but as the years have passed, that passion faded, as it would no doubt have faded for you and your pure blood."

He gave her a sad look.

"His death saved you from finding that out for yourself, be grateful."

She did not answer.

She had no desire to anger the lord any further.

He shook his head.

"My wife is a scheming ingrate; my son is an idiot and a sadistic one at that. He is unworthy of my legacy, despite what my darling wife believes."

Again he looked on Avaryss with fondness.

"Fortunately, the Force has gifted me with something…someone new. A young Sith born not of my body, but of my will. The Force has seen fit to give me a daughter who is both strong in the Force and cunning enough to understand what I'm offering."

He leaned in close so that only she could hear him.

"One day you will surpass me, with my training you would do it that much quicker. One day you will rule the House of Feer, and take it in a new direction leading not only to prestige, but limitless power. I've foreseen it."

He smiled hungrily.

"Cast aside the Oridanna farm girl, let go of Keera Lylos and her desire for vengeance. Become Avaryss in both body and soul, become my apprentice, learn from me, let me guide you. Be my heir, my daughter, and all that you have sought will be yours one day, all of it, and more."

He smiled cruelly.

"Make your choice, young one. Are you my apprentice or my victim? The choice is yours.

Avaryss shuddered.

What had been said, what had passed between them.

She…she could not believe it.

Did he actually believe she could forget what had happened?

Did he honestly think she would surrender so completely to him?

His daughter?! It was laughable. It…it…

She shivered.

The hunger for power rose up, burning in her breast. Her red eyes began to glow like hot coals.

A vision came to her, she imagined them standing together in the heart of the Republic; she imagined the Jedi grand master dead at their feet.

Darth Feer had ripped the Jedi's beating heart out, and together they feasted on it as the Sith armies blasted the planet to rubble around them.

It was a powerful vision, a grand one.

She found herself getting lost in it.

Distantly she could hear Keera Lylos wailing, crying out for blood. Demanding that she get up and fight! That she die trying to tear out this man's throat.

Yet, in that moment, the dark side proved stronger. It was the desire to be more than just another victim.

She shuddered.

Feer was not wrong.

Accepting the second choice was not easy, the words stuck in her throat, she feared that she would gag on them.

Yet, she still wanted what he offered.

She found herself thinking about Spindrall, about his warning. He had said that she would be tested, had he not?

She would have to choose between her passions and her desire for power. She had failed with Fehl, if she failed again, she would not leave this room alive.

She suppressed a whimper; a single angry tear ran down her cheek.

She wanted this man dead, hungered for it, but at the same time.

She stopped fighting.

She let his strength force her to her knees; she looked up into those gold eyes.

She almost sobbed, that was how hard the words were to get out.

"Yes," she murmured.

He tilted his head slightly.

"What was that child? I couldn't quite hear you."

She cursed under her breath.

He was not going to make this easy on her.

"I…I said yes," she managed to croak, "I pledge myself to you, and your teachings. I…I will do whatever you ask."

She felt a warm sense of satisfaction from the dark lord.

"Excellent," he purred.

The crushing pain that had surrounded her ceased, she collapsed at the dark lord's feet.

She found herself bowing before him, humbling herself.

It made her sick!

 _Coward_ , the part of her that was still Keera spat.

 _Maybe,_ she thought, _but I can't kill Lord Feer if I am dead._

 _Only **this** path offers me the chance to accomplish that goal._

He stood over her, her new lord and master.

"Say the words," he said, "I'm sure that you have heard them before. Declare my desires are now yours. Say it, and embrace your role as my apprentice."

She nodded.

She did know the words, yes, but they were as hard as her acceptance of him as her new master.

She sighed heavily, but she managed to speak them.

"What…what is thy bidding…my master."

He nodded, pleased with her acceptance.

"Arise…my apprentice."

She did as she was told.

She stood her will and pride broken.

"I'm yours, my master," she said in a flat defeated monotone.

"Command me."

He laughed and put his arm around her shoulder.

"This is **my** desire," he said, "The two of us, together at long last. Ours shall be an alliance of Fear and Avarice."

He laughed triumphantly.

"It will take time," he acknowledged, "letting go of your hatred towards me will not be easy, but in time. You may come to see me as much a father as that mundane Andur Lylos was."

She suppressed a surge of anger at his mention of her father's name.

Keera's father, she reminded herself, Lord Feer created me, watched over me.

She shuddered.

He is my master now, my **true** father.

She bowed her head.

She felt broken, more broken than she had felt after Zyn's torture.

He sensed her melancholy.

"It will take time," he repeated, "But you will come to accept your new position, who knows you might even come to like it."

She nodded.

"As you say, master."

Feer led her out of the academy, out towards her destiny.

"My dreadnaught is waiting for us," he informed her, "We have much work to do, my apprentice. I hope you are ready?"

She took a deep breath and found a reserve of dark power.

"I am ready, my lord. How do we start?"

He laughed wickedly.

"Trust me daughter…we have already begun."

She nodded.

So be it.

She would have power in his service, she did not doubt that, but she doubted she would find any joy, and certainly no real rest; she would be living her worst nightmare. She was now an enforcer of the man who killed her family.

After that, she would surely never know peace, but that was fine.

After all…

…peace was a lie, there was only passion.

Fury. Rage. Hatred.

They would be her allies now.

She would need nothing else.

 _For the Empire_ , she thought.

 _For the **Sith!**_

 **The End**

 **Avaryss's journey will continue in Star Wars: The Old Republic: Fear and Avarice.**


End file.
